On the Horizon
by AzureEmerald
Summary: While the Crystal Gems are in the process of tracking Peridot down for good, Steven isn't so willing to believe she's as dangerous as the Gems may think. A heartfelt conversation with the stray Gem seems to confirm his suspicions and now Steven is determined to keep their newly formed companionship a secret. The real question is, how long can that last? [CURRENTLY EDITING]
1. Chapter 1

It was a sweltering summer day in the seaside community of Beach City, much warmer than what was typical for the area. The city had the misfortune of being in the path of an exceptionally strong heat wave that had been rolling through Delmarva and the surrounding region in the last couple of days. The state's natural geography also meant that the higher temperatures were being accompanied by extreme humidity, making most residents cringe at the idea of having to spend an extended period of time outdoors in such conditions.

Some were handling the higher temperatures better than others. Many of the local youth saw it as an excellent excuse for pool parties or a daytime trip to the beach. Others were more content to remain indoors and hope the city's breakers wouldn't give out under the strain of so many air conditioner units running at the same time.

Steven was one of the many who had opted to remain indoors, though it was less of his own volition and more as a result of Pearl's usual protective nature. Connie's parents also weren't particularly comfortable with their daughter making the relatively long trip to Steven's home during such balmy weather, so hanging out with her wasn't an option for the time being.

Currently, Steven was sat comfortably on the couch, listening attentively to the pale Gem across from him as she informed him of various ways to help manage the heat while they were gone for the next couple days.

"Remember Steven, drink plenty of water and _please_ take a couple bottles with you if you absolutely _have_ to go anywhere. I also have some extra supplies here for you just in case the power ends up going out temporarily." The pale Gem set out various items on the kitchen counter, the now empty box they'd been stored in sitting at her feet.

Steven couldn't help feeling a sense of pride knowing Pearl and the others trusted him enough to watch over the house on his own. "Okay, Pearl. Where exactly are you guys going?"

"Well, a few places. Our best chance of finding Peridot at this rate is to warp where we can and do a thorough scouring of the surrounding areas, starting with the Kindergarten. Since we have a rather… well, vital possession of hers, she likely can't have gone that far."

Steven nodded in understanding. The Gems had been beginning to grow suspicious. The tracking system Pearl previously rigged up had not activated at all for the past few days and they deduced that it was likely Peridot was purposely avoiding warping to try to keep them off her trail for as long as possible. They eventually reached a consensus that tracking the green Gem down would be top priority for the moment. Peridot wouldn't get away this time.

The Gems insisted Steven stay at home while they went after the Homeworld Gem. Missions lasting longer than a couple days weren't common and they didn't want the poor child collapsing from exhaustion in the middle of the search. Greg was always available as was Lion, so they felt confident that Steven could manage on his own in their absence.

"Pearl, what exactly are you guys planning to do with Peridot once you catch her?" Steven couldn't help questioning, concern edging its way into his voice.

He remembered back to when they had been trapped in the ancient Gem warship; when Pearl had leapt for the hologram of the green Gem, spear poised to deal a fatal blow to her gemstone.

If that had actually been Peridot, that would have likely been the end of her.

The pale Gem finished organizing everything on the counter before turning to her young charge. "Ideally we'll be able to subdue her without needing to poof and bubble her. Considering she is a modern Homeworld Gem, it seems to me that she would be a valuable source of information for us, so long as she is willing to cooperate..." She attempted to assure the young half-Gem.

Steven remained silent. Considering how Peridot had previously acted towards the Gems, cooperation didn't seem like a very probable outcome.

The familiar sound of the Temple door activating suddenly caught their attention, both turning to see the other two members of the Crystal Gems emerging from Amethyst's room.

"Yo Pearl, are we ready to head out yet? It's not like Steven can't handle himself for a couple days."

Pearl's cheeks puffed out slightly in annoyance at the purple Gem's words. "I was just making sure he has everything he needs on hand while we're gone, Amethyst." She replied calmly, walking over to her teammates. "But yes, I suppose we're all ready to go."

The tallest of the group led the other two Gems onto the warp pad. "We'll try to be back as soon as we can, Steven. Watch over the house and be sure to go to Greg if you need anything." Garnet instructed him in her typical stoic tone.

Steven gave a playful salute to the fusion, a determined look in his eyes.

"Yes Ma'am!" He exclaimed just as the warp pad activated. Garnet playfully returned the fake salute, a small smile on her face. Pearl and Amethyst waved a goodbye to him before the three of them were out of sight, leaving the young half-Gem by himself.

Steven made his way over to the counter where Pearl had left the extra supplies, taking note of the various items she had set out: batteries, a weather radio, a flashlight, some spare plastic water bottles, and a few small towels. Steven hoped he wouldn't really need any of the emergency items. Last he'd heard, the heat wave was only supposed to last for another day anyway.

' _And then Connie can finally come over again!'_

Steven turned away from the supplies to find Lion nearby, playing with the box the items had previously been contained in. He smiled at the pastel animal's antics, watching him try to fit all four of his massive paws into it. Steven let out a giggle at his actions. "Lion, that's not how you're supposed to use boxes," the child scolded playfully, making no attempts to actually reprimand the feline.

The young hybrid glanced back over to the warp pad, the system they'd been using to track Peridot having been dismantled by Pearl earlier that morning. It hadn't come up with anything in regard to the green Gem's location for days and they weren't about to just leave the escape pod out in the open while they were gone.

Steven's thoughts soon shifted as he made his way up to his loft. He flopped down onto the bed to stare up at the ceiling, flicking on his television for a bit of background noise.

The child couldn't help wondering about the green Gem's current predicament, and was even more curious as to why he was even worrying about her as much as he was.

Their initial introduction hadn't gone ideally, considering she'd literally been about to crush him just for starting a friendly conversation with her. She also hadn't exactly hesitated in trying to off him and the Gems completely when she'd trapped them in that Gem warship they had previously tracked her to.

Yet for some reason Steven didn't find himself really _afraid_ of Peridot, at least as long as she wasn't controlling some deadly piece of Gem technology. Something about the other Gem's behavior just didn't trigger fear in him. Her behavior had been so juvenile during their most recent encounter, even more so than Amethyst's could be at times.

It was surreal to think about really, considering how emotionless she had seemed in the first couple instances he and the Gems had come across her.

He couldn't help stifling a laugh at remembering when she had imitated his playful mocking back at the Galaxy Warp; she was certainly impressionable. Gems may not have aged like humans, but surely an experienced Gem would be expected to act more mature than Peridot did most of the time, especially considering the dire situation she was in.

Stranded all alone on a foreign planet. In retrospect, it was a terrifying concept to think about.

He hoped Pearl had meant what she said; that they would try to capture the green Gem without needing to bring her any real harm. Steven wanted to capture Peridot as well, but he definitely didn't want to seriously hurt her in any way…

The boy's train of thought suddenly came to a halt when he noticed his television suddenly flicker off, displaying only a black screen.

"Oh, come on!" Steven whined, sitting up in bed. Of course the power grid decided to go down so late in the afternoon. It was going to be dark outside in just a couple more hours.

He groaned before flopping back onto the sheets. The house wouldn't be very comfortable later on without the air conditioner going. Even worse, the food stored in the fridge was probably going to end up spoiling if the power didn't come back on by later tomorrow.

' _Man…I don't think we even have a spare cooler lying around anywhere either.'_ That was going to be troublesome. Steven mulled over his options. He supposed he could check if his dad had a spare one at the shop. And if he didn't, he could make a quick trip out to the old family barn out on the hill. He could even take Lion with him to cut down on the travel time.

' _Sounds more fun than just sitting around here for the rest of the afternoon!'_ Steven jumped off his bed, pulling his novelty cheeseburger backpack out from underneath it. He didn't think he would be out long but it was better to be prepared just in case.

After grabbing his phone and stuffing it into one of the backpack's many compartments, Steven made his way downstairs to the kitchen where the supplies were located. He made sure to grab the flashlight as well as couple of batteries, figuring they might be useful in case it actually did end up getting dark before he got back. He also packed a couple filled water bottles, a few granola bars, and a couple of the towels, figuring he could use them with the water to cool down if it became necessary. He skimped out on ice, wanting to keep the cold air in the freezer for as long as possible.

"Right, that should be everything." He turned towards Lion, who was still futilely attempting to fit inside the cardboard box. "Come on Lion, we're going to take a little trip." Of course, the feline paid him no mind.

"I'll give you a Lion Licker when we get back." He bribed the creature in a singsong voice. Steven wasn't fond of the things himself but once he'd learned how much Lion seemed to like them, he'd decided to purchase a few from the Big Donut just to have them on hand for situations like this.

The pink animal looked up at him, now giving him his full attention before wandering over to him, his wide-eyed stare firmly locked on him. Steven slipped on his backpack and made his way over to the door before stepping out into the stifling afternoon heat with Lion close behind him. He climbed up onto the animal's back and the creature was off, the heat and humidity barely seeming to faze him.

It took them hardly any time at all to reach his dad's business as Steven spotted his father kicked back on a lounge chair with his guitar in hand, probably in the middle of tuning it to help pass the time.

* * *

"Dad!"

Greg looked up from the instrument, smiling at the sight of his son and his animal companion. "Hey, Shtoo-ball! What are you doing out here in this heat? I thought the Gems wanted you to say inside while they were gone."

Steven hopped off Lion's back, guessing his dad was still completely unaware of the power outage.

"The power went out at home and I wanted to see if you had one of those little coolers we could put the food in so it doesn't spoil."

"A blackout, huh? With this heat I'm kind of surprised we didn't get one sooner to be honest." His father sat up a bit. "I do have one inside the shop but unfortunately it's the only one I've got, and it's already got stuff in it."

Steven had been worried about that. If the Gems were home he could have probably looked for one in Amethyst's room. He'd just have to go with his backup plan in the meantime. "Oh, well do you think there's a spare one out at the barn?"

Greg mulled it over a bit, rubbing at the back of his head. "Well yeah, maybe. But the power will probably be back in a couple hours, kiddo. I'm sure the food won't spoil _that_ quickly." Steven knew that was a possibility but in all honesty he just wanted to do something else other than sit at home bored out of his mind while waiting for the power to come back on. This way he could also be more prepared if a similar situation happened in the future.

"I know, but I sort of promised Lion I'd give him one of his favorite treats when we got back, and I don't want to disappoint him." He gave the feline a small pat on the head.

"Well, alright. I still have about another hour until the shop closes but you can go check out the shed if you'd like." Greg situated himself again on the lounge chair, bringing his guitar back to its original spot in his lap. "Only if Lion goes with you though. I don't want you going out all by yourself in the heat like this."

Steven was thrilled that he'd actually have something to do to pass the time. "Yeah! Come on Lion, let's head out on the next leg of our quest!" The young half-Gem proclaimed triumphantly, hopping back up onto the feline's back.

"Just make sure not to stay out too long, Steven. I'll give you a call once I close down for the evening." Greg waved him off. The child gave him a thumbs up before he and his animal companion took off towards their destination.

* * *

 _A/N : Just a note that this chapter was actually written before Nightmare Hospital premiered. I'm rather amused that my headcanon with Lion and Lion Lickers ended up being proven correct, though I'm sure I'm not the only one to play around with the idea._


	2. Chapter 2

It didn't take long for Steven and his traveling companion to reach the old barn, located up on a hill where Beach City's skyline could be seen in the distance. It had been a while since anyone had been to the place and it definitely showed. The building had taken a bit of hail damage from the last major thunderstorm that had rolled through the area, as indicated by the small indents peppering the wood. It also appeared to have sustained some water damage around the areas lower to the ground, which had since taken on a darker coloration in comparison to the rest of the structure.

Steven hoped the items housed inside would still be dry and usable.

The half-Gem dismounted his animal companion, once again reaffirming his promise of rewarding him with one of his favorite frozen treats once they got back to the house. Steven then proceeded into the weatherworn structure with Lion close behind him, thankful he had decided to bring a flashlight after all. Some areas were practically pitch black inside, especially up on the upper level.

Steven began examining some of the unkempt piles on the ground floor, stumbling across various types of items in the process: car parts, spare tires, empty paint cans, scrap metal, and even what looked like a small plane engine. It was pretty neat stuff but unfortunately not what he was looking for.

"Having any luck, Lion?"

He received no response, not that he'd really expected one anyway.

Steven suddenly took notice that Lion didn't seem to be on the bottom floor with him anymore. The feline must have decided to jump up onto the higher level, no doubt attempting to locate more innocent cardboard boxes to terrorize.

The boy hadn't had any luck finding what he needed on the ground floor so he opted to follow his companion up to the loft, climbing the ladder propped up against the left side of the barn's upper walkway.

The half-Gem followed the pathway, meandering his way through the piles of junk that littered the wooden floor as he made his way to the other side of the structure. He had decided to bring his flashlight out of his backpack and was using it to examine his surroundings when he suddenly took notice of a familiar mass of pink standing not too far ahead, the creature's eyes focused on a stacked pile of medium-sized boxes in the corner.

At first, Steven believed Lion had taken an interest in the boxes themselves, until he caught a slight movement out of the corner of his eye. It became clear that the feline was more focused on something lurking _behind_ the pile. That made him nervous. Who or what would be out here?

The atmosphere suddenly seemed tense as Steven cautiously approached his companion, ready to summon his shield if necessary. It was possible there could be some sort of wild animal up here but if that was the case he figured Lion would have already been curiously pawing at it. Instead he was completely still, eyes looking straight ahead. The feline's odd behavior wasn't doing anything to ease the boy's worries.

Steven shined his flashlight onto the box pile, the unknown entity behind it seeming to flinch at the beam of light. Yep, there was definitely something back there.

Steven started slightly at the loud creak that emanated from the spot. The half-Gem swallowed nervously, internally debating on how he should approach this situation.

"Hello?" Steven doubted whatever this was actually wanted to cause any harm to either him or Lion but he wanted to exercise caution nonetheless.

He flinched as the silence was suddenly broken by what sounded like a shaking sob.

"Um, hello?" The boy tried again. "A-are you all right?"

"Please…no…" A feminine voice whimpered. A glint of determination flashed in Steven's eyes as he decided to chance it, moving a couple of the boxes aside. Whoever this was, they sounded like they needed help and he wasn't about to just leave them out here in this state.

With the storage containers moved out of the way, Steven shined his flashlight directly ahead, immediately recognizing the individual crouched in front of him. Their iridescent yellow-green skin. Those bulky robotic limbs. The tetrahedral shock of hair.

"Peridot?!"

* * *

' _I hate this planet.'_ The green Gem thought miserably to herself, knees drawn up to her chest. Her constant strings of misfortune never ceased to amaze her. Somehow, the Steven had managed to locate her temporary shelter and there was no doubt in her mind that he had brought the rest of those Crystal Clods with him.

She wasn't looking forward to inevitably meeting her doom at the end of that defective Pearl's spear.

With how bleak things were seeming for her, Peridot opted to remain as quiet as possible in the hopes that the little urchin would completely ignore the area of the building she had chosen as a temporary refuge. She was not willing to submit to her fate just yet, not while there was still a chance for her to go undetected.

Unfortunately for her, the cursed beast that accompanied the boy wasn't having any of it. She about shrieked when the massive creature wandered over to her hiding spot and had to momentarily cover her mouth to keep herself from doing so, still trying desperately to not give away her location. She hoped, if she remained completely silent, the animal would lose interest and leave her be. Instead it just stood there directly in front of the pile of storage containers she was sheltered behind, its gaze seeming to pass right through them and bore into her. To call it unsettling would have been an understatement.

The Steven took notice of the beast's odd behavior and promptly followed its lead, making his way over and shining some sort of lighting instrument directly onto the pile of containers. Peridot inwardly scolded herself for flinching, unintentionally causing the walkway beneath her to let out an awful creak under her weight.

' _No! Just go away already!'_ The Homeworld Gem internally screeched, feeling tears of frustration beginning to prick at the corners of her vision as she rested her forehead on her knees. A horrid sense of dread washed over her as she realized she was going to be discovered no matter what she did. Peridot despised feeling so helpless. _Nothing_ had gone right for her this whole mission.

Why her? Of all the Peridots Homeworld could have assigned to this blasted planet, why did it have to be her? They had assured her this mission was supposed to be simple enough that even an inexperienced Gem should have been able to complete it with little to no trouble.

' _Go to Earth, they said. It'll be easy they said…'_ Peridot thought dejectedly to herself, reluctantly resigning to her fate.

"Hello?" She heard the Steven inquire. Peridot found herself unable to hold back tears anymore, cursing herself for her display of weakness. This was it. They were going to shatter her and put an end to her unfairly brief life; she wasn't even going to die on her home planet! The young technician let out a muffled whimper.

"Please…no…"

She couldn't believe this. Her first mission off planet was also going to end up being her last. This just wasn't _fair_.

"Peridot?!"

Her head jolted upright from its previous position. The tears didn't let up as she was unable to pull her frightened gaze away from the small being in front of her. The green Gem's body seemed to completely shut down, not that it mattered at this point. It wasn't like she could run after her previous encounter with the child.

"J-just leave me alone… Have mercy." Peridot managed to choke out, her voice nearly inaudible. "I-I don't want to be shattered…" She buried her face in her knees again, bracing herself for the moment when the other Gems would swoop in to deal the fatal blow.

No such event occurred, oddly enough. Instead she heard the Steven begin to speak with a quiet voice. "Hey, it's okay, it's just me. I'm not going to hurt you."

She slowly lifted her head to him, a baffled expression on her face as she rubbed some of the annoying bits of moisture from her eyes with one of her floating digits, her yellow visor lifting up off her face slightly as she did so. "The others… aren't with you?" Peridot sniffled, her confusion eminent.

When Peridot had come across this structure earlier when the planet's star was at its apex, it had appeared abandoned. What reason would the Steven have for being here by himself?

Regardless, she immediately felt relief flood through her when he shook his head in response to her query.

"I just came here to try to find something." He made his way around the rest of the containers, putting aside his lighting instrument as he took a seat on the floor in front of her. The large animal that accompanied him curled up directly behind him and laid its massive head down. It closed its eyes, looking completely unalarmed. "I think the more important question is what are _you_ doing here?" His voice had suddenly taken on a more playful tone as soon as he noticed her beginning to calm down a bit.

A small scowl made its way onto her face as she finished wiping away the irritating bits of moisture from her eyes, setting her visor back in its proper placement. "Just enjoying all the lovely sights this miserable ball of mud has to offer, of course." Peridot remarked sarcastically, her voice still wavering with a hint of sorrow as she rested her head on her knees. Her gaze settled somewhere off to the side of the shelter, away from that of the concerned boy in front of her.

The green Gem's initial sense of dread may have passed but the bleakness of her situation had not.

Peridot hadn't exactly had the best time on Earth. Aside from the most pressing danger of being hunted down by the native and also very hostile Crystal Gems, her missing foot had made traversing the planet's uneven terrain tremendously difficult. The scuff marks and dried patches of mud apparent on her limbs were no doubt doing a fine job of indicating her struggles to the Steven now sat across from her.

Even more recently, the temperature had also become a concern. With their physical forms essentially being light projections, most Gems weren't bothered much by air temperature; hot or cold. However, Peridot was a rather rare exception to that rule. Her tech did not function particularly well in the heat, being much better suited for the constant, cooler temperatures that were the norm back on Homeworld. It had driven her to the point where she finally had to seek shelter to keep it from overheating and malfunctioning. As a result of this, she felt it was unwise to chance flying, lest she risk her helicopter seizing up while she was a sizable distance above the ground.

Out of the corner of her eye, it was apparent that the Steven didn't quite know how to respond to her outburst. Peridot didn't understand why he was conversing with her like this in the first place. Why had he not run back to the Crystal Gems' base to disclose her location to them yet? Surely they still wanted to track her down.

He gave her a look of…sympathy it looked like, as he slid something off of his back. It had an odd appearance but the straps on it indicated to her that it was likely some kind of mobile storage unit. _'What is this little Steven planning?'_

Her suspicions were proven correct as the Steven opened up his pack and pulled out two small objects. They looked to be clear containers, both holding an equally clear liquid of some kind. He held one of the containers out to her. She lifted her head slightly, perplexed by his actions

"Would you like some water? I know Gems don't need to drink but I figured I'd ask since it's been so warm outside." Peridot quirked an eyebrow at him. Was this some sort of peace offering? She wasn't even sure what this act of drinking entailed.

She shook her head, her look of suspicion unwavering. "No, I have no need for it." She made sure her voice sounded cold, hopeful that it would drive the child away.

No such luck. The Steven looked disappointed by her refusal and didn't press her any further, but he didn't look like he planned on leaving anytime soon. Instead, he placed the clear container back on the ground between them before opening the other one and lifting it up to his mouth, appearing to swallow some of the liquid within it.

Peridot tilted her head in confusion, her eyes narrowing slightly. She guessed this was what "drinking" was but she could not begin to figure out its purpose. Her previous fear gradually morphed into curiosity.

"Why are you doing that?" A faint hint of disgust sounding in her voice.

The Steven gave her a small smile, evidently glad she was feeling inquisitive enough to speak to him. "I have to." He answered naturally. "Pretty much all creatures here on Earth do. We need it to live."

"Do you need to ingest this fluid multiple times a day?" She couldn't help asking, her disgust still present. Gems didn't have any real bodily functions by default, so this whole process was completely foreign to her.

The Steven nodded to her before retrieving what looked to be a couple scraps of cloth from his pack. He then turned the small vessel onto its side slightly, pouring some of the liquid out onto one of them before dabbing it gently around his face. He then emptied some water onto the other one before offering it to her.

"Did you at least want to cool off a bit? It's not much cooler in here than it is outside."

She eyed him warily before cautiously reaching for the material, slowly taking it into her floating digits. Drinking may have been out of the question as far as she was concerned, but the whole reason she had taken shelter here was to keep her tech from overheating and this seemed to be a suitable enough method to keep it from doing so.

Copying his actions, Peridot dabbed the cloth over her face, paying special attention to her gemstone. It was a pleasant sensation rubbing the soft fabric over its unusually sensitive, smooth surface and helped to momentarily ease her stress. She then moved on to her limbs, vigorously rubbing at each metallic appendage. She was thankful that it seemed to be helping remove some of the caked on grit, allowing her tech to finally regain its typical green appearance for the first time in days.

Once she was finally satisfied, Peridot handed the dirtied material back to the Steven across from her, feeling significantly more relaxed than when she had first come here earlier.

"Thanks." The green Gem offered somewhat begrudgingly. Gratitude wasn't something that came naturally to her, but she figured she'd make an attempt in this case. The Steven hadn't exactly _needed_ to do this for her. Yet here he was, sitting directly across from her, happily keeping her company and seemingly not expecting anything in return. _'What a peculiar little creature.'_

"You're welcome. You didn't answer my question from earlier though."

"Which one?"

"What you're doing out here."

Peridot looked to the side, avoiding eye contact as she pondered. The Homeworld Gem knew she shouldn't be conversing with what was supposed to be the enemy but so far he was the only one she'd encountered on this forsaken planet that had bothered to show her any mercy. Now that she thought about it, he was one of the only beings that had _ever_ shown her any sort of compassion. She could not for her own life understand why though.

She certainly hadn't done anything to warrant it.

"The same thing I've been doing. Trying to keep as far away from the native Gems as possible. What else would I be doing?"

He merely shrugged in response.

"Well then, the Steven, let me ask _you_ a question." She emphasized, looking directly at him as he gave her his full attention. "Why are you being so kind to me?"

Peridot was beyond confused by this little creature. You did not fraternize with the enemy, nor did you provide them any sort of aid. Why was he doing both? And where were the other clods during all this?

He offered a small, innocent smile. "You sounded like you needed help, so I wanted to help you if I could." He answered honestly. "And it's just Steven by the way. That's my name." She raised an eyebrow at that but didn't question it for the moment. His answer to her question was so disgustingly…simple.

"Hm." She murmured out loud, looking down at the space in between them. She was unsure of how to respond to such a humble reply. This…Steven was so forgiving. Her gaze fell on him once again, still unable to comprehend his actions. "I tried to kill you, as well as your allies. Yet, you act as if that never happened."

He mirrored her earlier action and glanced to the side for a moment, clearly contemplating how to respond to her. "I know. You've done some pretty bad stuff but I don't think that automatically makes you a bad person." Peridot gave a look of genuine surprise. The Steven was quiet for another moment before he continued, glancing up at her. "My mom used to be able to see beauty in everything. I think I can see some in you."

The green Gem quickly regained her composure, scoffing at his answer. "Oh, please. That's a nice thought but I can guarantee you it's also a false one." Such a naïve little thing.

She made a mental note to learn what exactly a "mom" was at some point in the future. TheSteven meanwhile didn't seem that fazed by her response, instead examining their surroundings a bit before deciding to continue their conversation.

"Aren't you lonely out here?" The question smarted a bit but Peridot's outward appearance did nothing to indicate it. "I mean, you've been on Earth by yourself for a while now."

She despised the look on his face. So much sympathy for someone who didn't really deserve it.

The Homeworld Gem rolled her eyes at his concern. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm a Peridot. We do not experience feelings of loneliness." Her voice was quiet as her line of sight once again rested on the floor in front of her.

"Why do you keep calling yourself that? His tone sounded somber. "Your name is Peridot, like mine is Steven, right?"

The Gem in question nodded hesitantly. "Yes, I suppose. However, you are unique. You are _the_ Steven. I am a single Peridot, one of the many on Homeworld."

He glanced up at her, looking as if he wanted to say something else but was suddenly interrupted by some sort of chiming echoing from the pack beside him. He hastily brought the container back out in front of him again, rummaging through one of its various compartments before pulling out a small, rectangular device. Peridot eyed it curiously while the boy looked panicked.

"Oh shoot, it's Dad!" The Steven looked over to her and held up one of his fingers in front of his mouth, signaling for her to remain silent. He then pressed a button on the side of the device before holding it up to the side of his head. Peridot crossed her arms and glowered at him but complied anyway, keeping quiet.

"Uh, hey Dad. Yeah, everything's fine."

' _Ah, so it's a device used for communication.'_ That would explain why he wanted her to be quiet. The conversation with "Dad" continued as the Homeworld Gem silently observed.

"No, I didn't find anything." There was a slight pause. "Really? The power's back on already?" Another pause. "What do you mean it's already been over an hour?" Steven questioned, obviously having lost track of time. "Okay, I'll be home shortly. Nah, I can make something to eat. Thanks for the offer though. Alright Dad, goodnight!"

The conversation concluded as he brought the device back down in front of him, pressing the button again and assumingly ending the transmission. He then glanced up at Peridot nervously.

"That was my dad on the phone. I should be getting back home soon." He placed the transmitter along with everything else he had previously brought out back into the container he carried with him before standing upright, slinging it onto his back. He offered her a look of concern, hesitant to leave.

He almost looked as if he was debating on asking her to go with him.

"What are you going to do now, Peridot?" He asked abruptly, startling her slightly. The Homeworld Gem wordlessly contemplated her next course of action.

Peridot honestly wasn't sure what to do at this point. She had been avoiding warp pads since she'd figured out the Crystal Gems were somehow using them to track her movements. The way the Steven had worded his question almost made it sound like he was giving her an option. She could either go off on her own somewhere, no doubt getting lost _again_ in the process, or risk placing her trust in the remarkably empathetic being in front of her.

The possible danger was tremendous with either option.

She mulled it over for a few more moments, her eyes narrowing. " _If_ I go with you, you're _certain_ you won't be leading me directly to the others?" This particular scenario was what she was most anxious about; he could be leading her straight to her death for all she knew.

However, another part of her thought back to the look in his eyes earlier as well as the honest answer he'd given her in response to her questioning. Taking it a step further, she also recalled the time when the two had encountered each other in the Kindergarten; he had not even been able to bring himself to lie to her about the Gems being there with him.

No, the Steven seemed far too naïve to even think about trying to trick her. Confirming her thoughts, the boy shook his head.

"It isn't right that you have to be out here all by yourself like this."

Peridot couldn't tell if he was referring to the shelter or the fact that she was out here on a foreign planet, stranded with no way home. Perhaps both. The Steven continued, interrupting her thoughts.

"The Gems aren't at home right now. They're not supposed to be back for a couple days, so you might even be able to stay at the beach house with me. At least for tonight." He offered, a small smile on his face.

Peridot thought about her choice a bit more, figuring that if she went with the child she'd at least have some sort of shelter from the elements, especially the abnormally high air temperatures. She looked to him and nodded tentatively before attempting to stand, using the wall of the building to steady herself as best she could.

"Oh!" He seemed to suddenly remember her current handicap and promptly began looking around before taking notice of a small stack of cylinders nearby. Each of them appeared to be marked with a different hue around the top edge, assumingly left over from whatever substance had previously been stored in them. The Steven grabbed the green-stained container on top before walking back over to her. Peridot was rather skeptical that some random piece of junk would be a suitable long-term replacement for her missing extremity, but at least it would be better than awkwardly limping around everywhere

He held the object next to her remaining foot, Peridot allowing him to do so, as he made his comparisons. "Perfect! We can use this as a replacement for now." He sounded so proud of himself for his simple, archaic solution. "We'll just have to use some of my dad's duct tape when we get back to attach it. In the meantime, we have Lion to help us get there!" The Steven exclaimed happily, motioning to the pink animal behind him. Peridot nervously glanced over to the large creature.

"Are you honestly suggesting that we'll be riding on the back of that _beast_?" She questioned, eyeing the animal carefully. The boy walked over to her, cylinder in hand. He gently grabbed ahold of her arm, allowing her to use him to balance herself as they made their way over to the intimidating creature.

"Yep!" He hopped up onto Lion's back before turning towards her, helping her climb up.

Peridot kept a watchful eye on the beast as she allowed the Steven to help her up onto it, genuinely amazed when the thing didn't growl at her or display any other aggressive behaviors. The child turned to look back at her. "You might want to hold on."

She gave him an odd look but complied, seeing no other option than to lightly wrap her truncated arms around the small Steven situated in front of her.

"Alright Lion, let's head home!"

The animal suddenly stood to its full height and was off immediately, jumping down onto the ground floor below. Peridot let out a high-pitched shriek at Lion's abrupt actions, tightening her grip around the boy significantly. The feline then leapt through the wide entrance of the building and out into the cooler evening air, making a beeline for the beachside settlement in the distance.

* * *

 _A/N : I had so much fun writing the interactions between Steven and Peridot in this chapter. Hope you enjoyed them too!_

 _Also, the bit with Peridot's tech not being able to handle high temperatures is a reference to one of the characteristics of the actual peridot gem, in that it doesn't handle heat or sudden temperature changes very well._


	3. Chapter 3

"Uh, Peridot? Do you think you could loosen your grip just a little bit?" Steven choked out. The green Gem had taken his advice to hold on while they were on their way back to the Temple and she didn't seem to have any intention of easing up on doing so.

"You're the one who told me to hold on!" Peridot shouted to him over the wind.

Lion's pace had taken the Homeworld Gem by surprise and she'd had a tight grip on Steven ever since they'd left the old barn behind. She was not about to risk falling off the animal at these kinds of speeds, well aware that it wouldn't do her or her tech any favors.

It was just getting dark by the time they arrived at the base of the stairs leading up to the beach house and by then Peridot was all too eager to be back on solid ground. She slid off the animal and slumped down into the sand. She laid on her back, closing her eyes as she attempted to rid herself of the sense of vertigo brought on from being up on the large creature's back. She sensed a presence overhead and opened her eyes to see the Steven crouched over her, his hands on his knees.

"You okay there sleepyhead?" He teased. She scowled at him slightly before sitting up and making an attempt to stand, Steven backing up in order to give her more room. Unfortunately, she wasn't making much progress as she simply ended up falling onto her backside with each failed attempt.

Finally admitting defeat, Peridot let out an aggravated sigh and lifted one of her robotic arms to him. " _Don't_ say anything. Just be quiet and help me up." Her eyes narrowed as he grinned down at her, taking her hovering digits into his hand.

Steven managed to get the Gem back up on her feet, grunting from the effort. Peridot was _much_ heavier than she appeared, no doubt because of her bulky limbs. He honestly wondered how she was able to outpace him and the others when they were chasing her back at the Kindergarten.

The young half-Gem's thoughts were interrupted when he felt a nudge on the back of his shoulder. He glanced behind him to see Lion eagerly rubbing his snout against him. Steven then remembered his promise to the feline and turned back to Peridot.

The Homeworld Gem stood apprehensively, suddenly seeming to be having second thoughts on this course of action.

"I-I don't know if I can do this." She stuttered, nervously glancing up at the imposing figure of the Temple statue above them. This was beginning to seem like a very poor choice on her part.

"Hey, it's alright. " Steven made his way over to her, once again taking her cylindrical fingers into his own in an attempt to ease her worries. "Just stay close to me."

"W-what if the Gems are here? What if they ambush us? What if they try to shatter me?" Peridot's voice was shaking slightly from paranoia now.

"Don't worry. I wouldn't let that happen." Steven answered determinedly, flashing back to when he had attempted to protect the Centipeetle from the others. He didn't like going against his family, but sometimes it seemed like the only way he could get them to see things from his point of view.

Peridot glanced down at the child, her eyes wide. He was honestly willing to go against his own allies in order to ensure her protection? A Crystal Gem defending a Homeworld Gem; the Steven really was the most baffling creature Peridot had ever encountered.

The half-Gem led the way up the stairs, allowing Peridot to use him as support while he held the empty paint can he'd grabbed earlier under his other arm. He could still sense the other Gem's hesitation. She would occasionally jerk backwards slightly, as if she were anticipating an attack at any moment. Steven could tell she wasn't fond of having to place her trust in anyone other than herself but the fact that she was willing to try was more than enough for him.

Once they reached the top of the steps, Steven briefly left the anxious Gem's side so that he could peek in through the screen door. He hadn't left any lights on before his departure earlier but he could tell the power was back on from the faint humming sound emanating from the fridge. Thank goodness for that; he hadn't managed to find a cooler anywhere back at the barn.

Overall, the house seemed perfectly normal but most importantly, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl were nowhere to be seen.

Steven breathed a sigh of relief before turning back to Peridot, giggling quietly when he saw her awkwardly attempting to use Lion to steady herself.

"Alright Peridot, the coast is clear." He reassured her, once again allowing her to hold onto him as he led her over to the front door. She immediately latched onto him, feeling far more secure around him than his animal companion.

They made their way into the house, Peridot glancing around the interior with an expression of both nervousness and mild curiosity. She was hunched over slightly, having expected an ambush of some sort as soon as they walked through the doorway. Knowing for sure that wasn't the case now, Peridot relaxed and took some time to examine her surroundings.

She noted that the material the structure was constructed from seemed to be similar to that of the other building they'd just come from, being somehow organic in nature. The interior itself was relatively spacious and gave off a welcoming aura. She also greatly appreciated the slightly cooler temperature.

Steven flicked on the main light switch and set his backpack on the floor. He made his way over to the kitchen, opening up the freezer and grabbing a Lion Licker from it. The child didn't even have time to remove the wrapper as Lion eagerly took it into his mouth, situating himself near the warp pad at the far side of the room as he pawed at the frozen treat.

Steven smiled at the feline's antics before looking through the kitchen drawers for some duct tape so that he could get to work on making it a bit easier for Peridot to get around on her own. He moved a few items around in one of them before finding some and made his way back over to the Homeworld Gem.

"Over here, Peri. Let's get that foot of yours sorted out." Steven instructed, leading her over to the couch.

Peridot quirked an eyebrow at the other as she took a seat where he instructed her to.

"Oh, that's a nickname I came up with for you. Are you okay with it?" The child took a seat beside her.

"I'd prefer if you referred to me by my actual name." She answered apathetically.

A small frown made its way onto his features. For some reason, Peridot wasn't fond of this expression. Her words or possibly her tone of voice seemed to have upset the boy somehow and after witnessing the extent of his hospitality, she felt an odd sense of guilt at that realization. She let out a sigh, rolling her eyes. "If you wanted to _occasionally_ use it though, I suppose I wouldn't mind _too_ much. Just don't make a habit of it."

The frown disappeared almost instantly, a pleased grin taking its place. Peridot, despite her grumbling, had to admit that she much preferred this expression over the other one.

Steven set the paint can down on the floor, instructing Peridot to place her shortened limb on top of it. He grabbed the duct tape and began thoroughly wrapping it around the area where the two objects came into contact. Once he was satisfied, he motioned for the green Gem to stand and happily observed her newfound stability as she tested out her balance.

"Hmm, this should be sufficient, at least for now." He heard Peridot murmur as she was able to easily make her way around a small portion of the room and then back over, reclaiming her spot on the couch beside him. "Thank you, Steven."

He grinned up at the other, stars in his eyes. The show of gratitude had seemed to come to her much more naturally than when they were back at the barn. She'd even used his real name! "You're welcome!"

Peridot suppressed a small smile of her own, finding the Steven's positive attitude rather infectious. It was a nice change from the generally negative emotions she'd experienced while stuck here on Earth. She glanced over in the direction of the Temple door, having previously taken notice of the warp pad as well as Lion's current close proximity to it. "I have to ask though, what exactly did those clods do with my foot?"

Steven rubbed the back of head. "Oh, well I'm not really sure. I think Pearl has it in her room somewhere and we can't exactly go in there."

How annoying.

The pink feline across the room from them wasn't helping matters either. It just _had_ to lie down right in front of the warp pad, almost as if it was guarding the thing. The animal may have been passive towards her so far but it also seemed to be a relatively intelligent creature. Peridot was more than certain the thing wouldn't take kindly to her trying to access the Galaxy Warp in the middle of the night.

Then again, the green Gem wasn't sure what she would even be able to do there. The Homeworld warp had been completely demolished by those annoying Gems and repairing it wouldn't be a quick or easy job, especially without her flask robonoids… Peridot groaned inwardly. She really was stranded here.

Still, the Gem hadn't lost _all_ hope. Homeworld had to send help at some point. She had managed to get a message out to Yellow Diamond herself so surely it was only a matter of time. She certainly hoped so at least. It was her only chance of returning home in time…

Peridot shook her head, attempting to clear her thoughts. For now, at least she had a companion of sorts to help make her time on this miserable planet more bearable. She would just have to be wary of his other, far more dangerous allies.

"Peri?"

Peridot suddenly became aware of the Steven waving his hand in front of her face. She blinked a couple of times before directing her attention towards him. "Yes, Steven." Great, now she was actually responding to his little pet name without a second thought. Perhaps the stress of her situation was beginning to eat away at her better judgement.

"Are you alright? You kind of spaced out there."

"I just have a lot on my mind at the moment." She answered truthfully. "And I thought I told you to use that name sparingly."

Steven rubbed the back of his head. "Heh, sorry." He still had numerous questions he wanted to ask the other Gem but she was probably drained from the day's events, so he figured he'd just keep them in mind for later. "Well, did you want to watch a movie or something?"

She gave him a puzzled look. "What is that?"

"It's like a story but with moving pictures put to sound!" Peridot's expression didn't waver. "Here, I'll show you!" He suddenly stood up and eagerly grabbed the other's arm, nearly dragging her off the couch in the process.

"Steven! I'm more than capable of following after you on my own." She grumbled. The boy's excitement towards her was charming to a degree but she didn't need him pulling on her every time he wanted to show her something. And she certainly hoped it wouldn't become a common occurrence.

Steven didn't let go of Peridot's arm but he did loosen up on his tugging a bit as they made their way up the small set of stairs on the side. The child gave her permission to make herself comfortable on the bed while he got the movie set up. He grabbed the nearest DVD, the original _Dogcopter_ , and inserted it into the player situated next to the television. Steven then turned back to Peridot, who had settled for simply sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You can lie down on it, Peridot." He giggled.

"Lie down? What for? We sat on the other one like this."

The boy grabbed the television remote, pressing play and prompting for the movie to begin. "Yeah, but that was a couch. This is a bed, silly. It's normally where people sleep, so you can sprawl out on it as much as you want." He demonstrated by falling back onto it, his limbs splaying out in all directions. Much to his amusement, Peridot observed him and then promptly mimicked his action, leaning backwards into the plush surface and spreading her arms out on either side of her.

The green Gem closed her eyes. She was quite…content in this position. It was rather odd being able to just lie down and breathe for a while. Having a moment of rest was not possible back on Homeworld. As far as her class was concerned, there was always work to be done and lying down on the job was _severely_ frowned upon.

Peridot's thoughts were interrupted when she heard a faint growling beside her. Her eyes shot open as she sat up abruptly, momentarily worried that it was the Steven's animal companion. It was then that she noticed the boy holding one of his hands over his midsection.

"Oh, sorry about that! Didn't mean to scare you. I'm just hungry."

"Is this another one of your bizarre human characteristics?" She couldn't help asking.

He grinned at her good-naturedly. "Yep!" Steven then climbed off the bed and descended the stairs, flicking off the main light switch at the bottom since he figured the light from the television would be more than enough for them to see by. He grabbed his backpack he'd left on the floor when they came in before making his way back up to the loft.

Steven reclaimed his place beside Peridot, opening one of the many compartments before pulling out a couple of the granola bars he'd packed earlier. The green Gem simply regarded him with a familiar look of confusion.

Steven peeled back the wrapper on one of the sweet snacks before taking a bite out if. He then opened the other one and held it out the perplexed Gem.

"I know you were kind of weirded out by the whole drinking thing, but why don't you give eating a try? I promise it tastes a lot better than plain old water." He assured her.

Peridot looked skeptical but decided to humor the child anyway. This at least smelled decent, so it probably had some sort of taste to it in comparison to the colorless liquid he'd offered her earlier. Her floating digits gently grabbed the snack as she mimicked the Steven's earlier action, digging her teeth into the top part of it and biting off a small section.

Now what? Was she supposed to just let it sit in her mouth and wait for it to dissolve into nothing?

The child laughed at her expression. "You're supposed to chew and then swallow it." Oh. Well, this was definitely going to be an experience.

Peridot grimaced as she followed the Steven's instructions, chewing the small piece of food into a mush. She was having mixed feelings on this process. On one hand, she had to admit that it tasted decent. On the other hand, the texture of it felt so _strange_ in her mouth. She couldn't suppress the shudder that ran through her when she got to the swallowing portion of it. The green Gem clamped her eyes shut and placed her hand in front her mouth as she finally made herself force it down. She opened her eyes immediately afterwards.

Huh. That wasn't nearly as horrific as she had expected it to be.

She teasingly glared at the boy across from her when she saw that he had his own hand covering his mouth, trying to stifle his fit of giggles.

"Oh, what are you laughing at you annoying little Steven?" Clearly he'd gotten quite a bit of enjoyment out of watching her face contort between more than a few different expressions in response to the this whole _bizarre_ process.

"Nothing at all! You handled that pretty well! A lot better than Pearl did the first time Amethyst and I got her to try eating." He complimented, taking another bite out of his granola bar as the memory came back to him. The poor Gem had ended up spitting the food right back out and into the kitchen sink as soon as it had come in contact with her tongue.

Peridot felt a slight sense of satisfaction at his praise, as well as amusement at the misfortune of the pale Gem in question. She even felt smug enough to give the snack in front of her another bite. The chewing and swallowing actions were still weird but she felt the taste was satisfying enough that she could deal with it. For now at least.

"So, is this all humans eat?" It wasn't nearly as awful as she had expected but she could imagine its taste would become bland and tiring after a while.

The Steven shook his head. "No way! There's all kinds of delicious foods here on Earth. These are just snacks."

"Really now? Better than these?"

"So much better! I could you introduce to some tomorrow, if you'd like." He told her excitedly. "I could even bring you something home from the Big Donut in the morning!"

Peridot raised an eyebrow. "And what is a donut, exactly?"

"They're like little circular pieces of fried dough with a hole in the middle. The ones with frosting and sprinkles on them are the best!"

Peridot had so many questions. What was this "dough" substance? What was "frosting?" Or "sprinkles?" Why did these particular foods have holes in them? Why did humans have to go to a larger donut in order to obtain them? Was it some domesticated creature that humans harvested regularly?

"Eh, okay I'll just take your word for it." She answered, turning her attention to the television, a somewhat uneasy expression on her face.

"Trust me, you'll love them." Steven reassured her. He followed her gaze, having completely forgotten about the movie. He'd been far too amused by Peridot's first attempt at eating to even pay much attention to it.

Steven then pulled his phone out from his backpack to check the time; it read 9:32 PM in bold characters. It wasn't that late, but he was definitely feeling worn out from the events that had transpired in the last couple hours. "Hey Peridot, I think I'm going to go to bed."

The Homeworld Gem turned her head back towards him. "Hmm? What do you mean by that? Aren't we on your bed?

"No, I mean I'm going to go to sleep."

She gave him a puzzled expression. She remembered the Steven mentioning something about this earlier and she believed she'd actually heard of this process before. It was somewhat of a luxury on Homeworld; something Gems could do to pass the time when they weren't completing an assigned task.

It seemed pointless to her, considering Homeworld didn't even have these beds that humans seemed to use. Not that Peridot had to worry about it. Technicians didn't exactly get much downtime in comparison to soldiers like Jasper, who didn't have as much to do outside of times of war.

Steven must have noticed the thoughtful look on her face as he continued speaking.

"Oh. Right. You probably don't really know about sleep. It's when you lie down and get really comfortable, then you close your eyes and just sort of pass out for a few hours."

So the process involved leaving yourself in a rather vulnerable state. It actually sounded somewhat similar to regeneration, when a Gem was forced into their gemstone in order to repair and regenerate their physical form. Of course, in order for that to happen a Gem had to be injured in some way and the Steven looked perfectly fine. "Is this something you have to do often?"

"Yep, every night for a few hours." He informed her. "Did you want to give it a try?"

She didn't look so sure. "I'm not certain I'm comfortable with doing something like that, especially here…" The Homeworld Gem glanced around warily once again. Resting in the enemy's base didn't seem like a particularly intelligent idea.

"I'll be right here with you though. You'll be fine, I promise." Steven really wanted the Gem to at least attempt sleeping. She'd looked so stressed out and tired every time he'd seen her; the heavy bags under her eyes had been prominent even before she'd been stranded on Earth. He was sure this was something that could benefit her greatly.

Peridot thought about it for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. "I _suppose_ , if you insist. What exactly is the purpose of this sleeping process though?"

"It's meant to sort of recharge you and get your energy back up." He explained, grabbing his pajamas and making his way down the stairs to the restroom to change.

Peridot watched him disappear around the corner down on the bottom floor for a few moments, reemerging a short time later before making his way back over up the loft. She didn't understand the change in costume but waited patiently for him to settle. "Should I attempt this sleeping process on the couch or stay up here?"

Steven looked over to her as he got up onto the bed, pulling the sheets back and situating himself underneath them. He wanted the other Gem to feel safe and he figured having him close by would be one of the best ways to help her become more comfortable with her current surroundings. "You can stay up here if you want, but it doesn't really matter. Do what you want." He stated, much to her astonishment. He was placing an awful lot of trust in her.

"If you want, we can leave the movie on and you can watch the rest of it. Or you might end up falling asleep during it. That's pretty common when you're tired." The boy told her. "Just lie down and get comfortable. I'll see you in the morning." He then turned on his side, his head resting snugly on his pillow.

"Goodnight Peridot!"

The green Gem was mystified. She could literally kill him right here while he slept, if she had any intention of doing so. She didn't, of course. After all, he was basically her only ally on this planet. But he was _way_ too trusting. Peridot decided to write it off as yet another reason as to why she considered the Steven such an enigma.

Despite her bewilderment, Peridot proceeded to heed his advice, lying down on her belly and facing the television with her feet directed towards the end Steven was currently resting on. She couldn't comprehend anything that was happening on the device in front of her and instead turned onto her right side, away from the flashing light emanating from the screen. She found this new position quite comfortable and closed her eyes, feeling her breathing slowly beginning to even out before finally drifting off into unconsciousness.

* * *

 _A/N : A big thanks to everyone who has dropped by and left me some lovely comments. See you guys next chapter!_


	4. Chapter 4

Steven's return to consciousness the following morning was slow. For a few moments he simply lie there, gaze directed towards the ceiling as the early morning light filtered in through his bedroom window. It was then that he glanced down and spotted a familiar green Gem curled up on the other side of the bed not too far from him, one of her robotic arms dangling over the edge. Her visor was only halfway on her face but despite that she looked content, occasionally letting out small snores as she continued to doze.

The boy was elated to see that Peridot had ended up falling asleep after all. This was something the Gem had probably been in desperate need of for a while now; he just hoped she would feel refreshed once she woke up. In the meantime, Steven decided to follow up on his promise of letting her sample a donut or two.

Taking care not to wake his guest, the young half-Gem made his way out from under the bed sheets and grabbed a spare set of clothes before making his way downstairs to the restroom. He made sure to turn the television off as well, not wanting to leave it on while he went out.

After changing into his typical outfit and getting ready for the day ahead, he made his way over to the kitchen to leave a note for the sleeping Gem upstairs. He expected her to still be resting when he got back but he didn't want her to panic if she happened to wake up early. After leaving a sticky note up on the fridge, Steven then made his way over to the front door.

"Lion, did you want to come with me?" The feline was still situated over by the warp pad, looking up at him briefly before laying his head back down. On second thought, it was probably a good idea to leave Lion here with Peridot. He didn't think the Gem would try anything but the warp pad _was_ right here in the house. His trusty animal companion could just continue to keep an eye on it while he was out.

"Alright, I'll be back shortly. Bye Lion!" And with that Steven stepped out onto the porch, the screen door lightly swinging back to its original position behind him.

The morning air was still warm but not nearly as bad as it had been yesterday; it was nice enough weather to walk in. The boy made his way down the stairs and onto the beach before crossing over into the main part of town.

Upon reaching the Big Donut, Steven briefly glanced inside to see Lars and Sadie going about their typical work routine; Sadie restocking some of the shelves while Lars was situated behind the counter with his headphones in, his feet kicked up on the smooth surface in front of him. Steven entered through the door, immediately catching the attention of the short blonde girl. She smiled up at him before making her way over to the counter.

"Oh, hey Steven! Want your usual?" She offered in her usual friendly tone as she took her place behind the counter, not even bothering to attempt climbing over Lars after what had happened the last time she'd tried. The lanky teen didn't acknowledge either one of them, too into his music to notice much of anything.

Steven returned her friendly smile with one of his own. "Yeah, that sounds good. Could I get a couple of the regular chocolate frosted ones too?"

Sadie nodded politely before grabbing a small bag and pulling out the donuts. "That's a few more than you normally get. Are you going to be having Connie over later this morning?"

Steven debated telling the blonde about his current houseguest. He glanced over to Lars, making sure the teen was still oblivious to his surroundings. He could trust Sadie to keep a secret but Lars he wasn't so sure about.

"Uh, well maybe. Sadie, is it okay if I tell you something?" He asked in a somewhat hushed tone. He needed to let someone know about this whole situation. At some point, he was inevitably going to have to lie to the Gems about Peridot and he really wasn't looking forward to that. He hoped telling someone else he could trust about it would help reassure him that he was doing the right thing.

"Of course you can, Steven." Sadie said sweetly as she placed the donuts into the bag.

"Uh, well…it's kind of a secret. Can you please promise not tell anyone about it, especially the Gems?"

Sadie looked up at him, momentarily pausing her previous action. Steven wasn't normally one to keep secrets, especially from his own family... "Yeah, I promise."

"You know how we're still kind of after one of those Gems that invaded Beach City not too long ago?" The boy asked.

"Oh yeah, how could anyone forget?" Sadie placed the last donut into the small takeout bag, setting it on the counter.

Steven rubbed the back of his head slightly, an awkward smile on his face. "Well…I _may_ or may not be sort of helping one out by letting her stay with me while the rest of the Gems are out on a mission."

Sadie gave a look of surprise, raising an eyebrow at him. "You mean you're like…harboring one of them?"

The boy cringed slightly at her wording. "Kind of? But she isn't that bad!" He immediately added when he noticed the concerned look on the blonde girl's face. "She's just trying to find a way home. And the other Gems don't really want her to find one…"

The blonde's features softened, feeling a small amount sympathy for the Gem in question. "Oh. Well Steven, I think that's a very selfless thing for you to do." Her expression hardened slightly. "You're absolutely sure she isn't dangerous though?"

"I don't think she is, not in this state. She's just lost."

"And pretty scared too, I'd imagine." Sadie added solemnly. "Well Steven, if you want to keep this between us, my lips are sealed." She made a zipping motion across her mouth to further emphasize her point.

Steven couldn't help grinning at her. Sadie was the best. "Thanks Sadie!" He exclaimed, reaching into his pocket to pull out the needed change. The blonde handed the bag to him immediately.

"It's on the house this time. If you ever bring your friend in here, I want to make sure I'm on her good side!"

Steven took the bag from her, stars in his eyes as he contemplated her offer. He had to wonder… If Peridot had a chance to see just how nice and welcoming Beach City's residents were, maybe she wouldn't even want to go back to Homeworld. Regardless, Sadie's approval made him feel much better about the whole situation. For the time being anyway.

"Thanks for everything, Sadie." He made his way over to the door. "Oh, and be sure to tell Lars I said hello when he finally comes to!"

"Of course, Steven! See you later!"

Once outside, the child pulled out one of the donuts and began nibbling on it a bit as he walked back towards the beach house. He hoped Peridot would still be resting peacefully when he got back.

* * *

Peridot wasn't entirely sure how long she'd been asleep but opening her eyes and just watching the sunlight filter in through the window was a very relaxing experience. She fixed her visor back in place, realizing it had come off slightly. The Gem noticed that she had curled into herself slightly during her unconscious state, and that her arm was currently hanging off the edge of the bed. She lifted it back up next to her as she rolled onto her back and stretched, helping to loosen her form a bit from the stiff position it had previously been in.

Sleep seemed to be a rather pleasant act, one that she would be sure to repeat in the future if she ever got the chance.

The green Gem lifted her head, suddenly aware that the Steven was no longer with her. She was about to call out for him until she recalled him mentioning something about bringing her back some food last night. She glanced around cautiously, also remembering that she was still in the enemies' base. The Steven had told her the rest of the Crystal Gems would be gone for a while and thankfully that statement seemed to hold true as they were nowhere in sight. She allowed her head to fall back onto the plush surface underneath her, relaxing once again.

Despite being right in the middle of enemy territory, the night before had been the most content she'd been in a _long_ time. The Steven seemed to have such a pleasant aura to him. She'd had few issues leaving herself in such a vulnerable state as long as he was there with her.

' _Ugh, don't let yourself get too attached, Peridot. You still need to get off this planet while you have the chance.'_ The Homeworld Gem sighed wearily to herself, her thoughts wandering. She had _tried_ to find a way home multiple times now.

Her personal interface wasn't enough to reach Homeworld from such a distance.

She had no idea where her escape pod was, having been forced to abandon it after her rather rough passage through the Earth's atmosphere. The glowing insignia it left on the ground had been far too conspicuous for her liking.

The archaic communications tower she had haphazardly repaired had been wrecked by those Crystal Clods shortly after she'd gotten her message out.

And of course, the Homeworld warp was still in pieces.

No matter what Peridot did, the Crystal Gems always managed to come after her and do everything in their power to prevent her from returning home.

It _infuriated_ her.

The green Gem felt no remorse for attempting to put an end to them back on the ancient Gem warship. That was the Homeworld way of doing things; if something impeded progress, whether it be a faulty piece of machinery or another Gem, it was done away with. Simple as that.

Peridot glanced down at the makeshift replacement for her foot, pushing back undesirable thoughts of what her failure could mean for her once she returned home.

Another, more selfless thought also occurred to her. Aside from losing most of her mobility, her failed attempt at revenge could have very well ended Steven's life. She cringed. The thought of killing the one being that had shown her so much hospitality and compassion made her feel nauseated. Sure, she had been focused more on the Gems than him, but at the time she wouldn't have had any issues with Steven ending up as collateral if it meant disposing of his allies.

The fact that she'd also nearly crushed him during their initial encounter wasn't doing anything to ease her feelings of guilt. Getting rid of the other Gems simply wasn't worth taking the Steven's life. He wasn't like them; he was different…

Peridot let out a groan, shaking her head. _'Oh my stars, get a hold of yourself!'_

She had to stop thinking about these things. She was loyal to _Homeworld_ and she needed to make sure it remained that way. Thinking otherwise was simply too dangerous. For the time being, her main goal was to continue enlisting the Steven's help in keeping her undercover until Yellow Diamond sent help. Then she could finally leave this whole nightmare behind.

With her thoughts settled, Peridot glanced up at the large portrait above the door, having noticed it the night before when the Steven had led her up here. She took the time to examine it thoroughly now that she could see it better in the morning light.

The image portrayed another Gem, one with a very maternal appearance. Peridot speculated that this was Rose Quartz, remembering back to when Jasper had referred to the Crystal Gems as her army. She had even referred to Steven by the Quartz' name multiple times when they had first arrived, much to the green Gem's confusion.

Peridot had not been alive during the war for Earth; it was long before her time. She had obviously heard about Rose Quartz from the rather limited, vague records her lower ranking position allowed her access to but she had never seen her image before. Homeworld had gone to great lengths to cover up their past mistake, abolishing any imagery that depicted the rebellion or its leader. She wondered how much information Homeworld had purposefully withheld from their more public archives…

Peridot's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of something large jumping up onto the loft with her. She abruptly sat up to see that it was Lion, the animal having suddenly taken an interest in her for some reason. She wrinkled her nose at the large creature.

"What do you want you annoying quadruped?" She had no doubt the animal was just here to make sure she didn't attempt to access the warp pad.

Lion's unsettling stare didn't waver.

Before Peridot could say anything else, the animal lightly batted one of its massive paws at her head, knocking her visor off and onto the bed sheets. The Gem sat there in shock as the world around her suddenly lost the yellow hue she was accustomed to. She blinked once. Twice. Three times. Then the rage overtook her.

"Y-you did _not_ just do that you infuriating _beast_!" She watched the animal then take her visor into its mouth before leaping down from the loft. It stood right by the door, watching her. It almost seemed to be daring her to come after the stolen item.

Oh, she was more than willing to oblige.

"You give that back this instant!" The technician abruptly leapt off the bed, wasting no time in making her way down the stairs to the main floor. The animal roughly pushed the screen door open, Steven apparently not having made sure it had closed completely. Lion rushed down the stairs with Peridot in tow, the Gem completely oblivious to the fact that she was now out in the open in her enraged state of mind.

Lion finally took cover under the porch, curling up with Peridot's visor still in its mouth. The Homeworld Gem wasted no time running right up to the beast, attempting to grab her eyewear from its mouth. Much to her annoyance, the feline kept turning away from her anytime she got close enough to retrieve it. Peridot could feel her already non-existent patience wearing thin. She stomped her intact foot on the ground in a fit of frustration, clenching her floating digits into fists.

"Oh, you wretched little-"

Peridot's words were suddenly interrupted by an eerily familiar sound emanating from within the house. The chiming of a warp pad activating.

A chill ran through the technician's form, her anger towards the creature in front of her dissipating as she felt panic begin to take its place.

' _Oh Diamonds, no…'_

From her spot under the porch, the green Gem could hear muffled voices. She immediately recognized the Pearl's familiar voice.

"Unbelievable... I should have known something like this would happen."

Peridot instantly hid behind the pink animal, praying to the stars above that the other Gems didn't feel the need to come down onto the beach for any reason.

"It's Amethyst. She'll be fine in a couple hours." That was the fusion who had spoken that time. The green Gem was admittedly curious as to what exactly had forced the small group to return so early but she wasn't about to move anytime soon if she could help it.

"Peri!" She peered out from behind the large creature she'd taken shelter behind to see the Steven running over to her hiding spot, a bag of some sort in his hands.

"S-Steven… the Gems." She pointed up towards the house, her cylindrical digit trembling slightly as she attempted to keep her voice from cracking.

The look on the Steven's face mirrored her own as he visibly paled. He spoke as quietly as possible, unable to keep the anxiety out of his voice.

"What!? But they're not supposed to be back yet!"

Peridot would have rolled her eyes at him for pointing out something so obvious, if not for the direness of the situation.

This was bad. They hadn't come up with a plan of any sort. Where could she remain hidden from them? She couldn't stay here. The Kindergarten seemed far too obvious. The structure she'd taken refuge in yesterday probably wasn't going to work long-term.

The Steven was looking almost as panicked as she was. His eyes were wide and his hands rested on the sides of his head while he walked around in circles, mulling over any possible plans his mind could conjure up in such a short amount of time. He then glanced over to the pink feline the green Gem was currently huddled behind before speaking abruptly.

"I think I have an idea!" She watched the Steven walk up to Lion, prompting the creature to stand before placing a hand on the animal's torso. Much to her astonishment, the boy's hand passed right through it as a bright light engulfed the area. Some sort of pocket dimension perhaps?

He signaled for her to come out from her hiding spot. "You don't need oxygen, right?"

She scoffed at him as best she could in her shaken state, reluctantly making her way over to him. "Of c-course I don't. Gems don't need to breathe." She took the time to hastily retrieve her visor from the pink animal's mouth, scowling at the clear secretions left on it.

"Good. Let's just hope this works…"

* * *

Steven nervously made his way through the screen door, Lion following behind him. He could see Pearl standing over by the fridge, reading over the sticky note he'd left. He was so thankful he hadn't decided to address it with Peridot's name, instead just using her first initial. Pearl would probably just think it was written for her.

The pale Gem glanced up from the note, smiling to Steven and his animal companion. "Hello Steven, were you alright while we were out?" She asked in her usual motherly tone, laying the note on the counter. The young half-Gem nodded stiffly in response.

"Uh, y-yeah. I just went over to the Big Donut earlier to pick up some breakfast." He laughed uneasily. "So, how did the mission go?"

Pearl's expression suddenly looked annoyed. "Well, thanks to Amethyst we unfortunately had to come home a bit early." The pale Gem then stepped to the side to show a familiar purple stone sitting on the counter. Steven immediately let out a gasp, his nervousness forgotten as he ran over to the counter and took the gem into his hands.

"Oh no, what happened?" The boy wasted no time retrieving a small basket from the closet underneath the stairs before folding a soft piece of cloth in it, setting the precious stone in the middle of it. Pearl let out a sigh.

"I'm sure you recall the floating land formations back at the Strawberry Battlefield." Steven made his way over to her, nodding with an anxious look on his face while he placed the basket on the counter. "Well, Amethyst wanted to check the tops of them to see if Peridot had taken refuge on one. Of _course_ , she decided to be a showoff and somehow ended up falling right off the highest one. She must have landed at an odd angle because she poofed right after hitting the ground."

Steven looked over to the basket he'd set up. "When did this happen?"

"Not long ago. Fifteen minutes or so. She seems to have at least learned her lesson on not rushing regeneration…" Pearl crossed her arms over her thin torso, following the child's gaze. "Garnet's in the Temple already if you were wondering. Were you and Lion going somewhere?" She asked, briefly taking notice of the feline lying down by the couch.

Steven hesitantly tore his concerned gaze away from the purple gemstone. "Oh, yeah I was going to ask you if you guys had been to Mask Island recently."

Pearl nodded to him. "Yes. We actually checked there after looking around the Kindergarten. Nothing out of the ordinary. Why do you ask?"

' _Perfect.'_

"I was going to ask it was alright if Lion and I went there. I wanted to see about training him a bit more and figured it'd be a good place since that invisible Gem monster isn't there anymore."

"If you'd like to. Just _please_ keep a reminder of where the warp pad is this time." Pearl told him, turning to the freezer and pulling out a Lion Licker. "You might want to remember to take one of these with you as well." Steven took the frozen treat from her hand, Lion's attention now completely focused on him.

"Thanks Pearl!" He made his way up to the loft to grab his backpack before wandering over to the warp pad, the pink animal impatiently hovering over his shoulder.

"Just don't stay out too late, Steven. I'm sure Amethyst will be happy to see you once she regenerates."

"Don't worry! I'll be back later. Bye Pearl!" The pale Gem waved to him, a small smile on her face as the young boy and his companion disappeared into the warp stream.

* * *

 _A/N : I headcanon that Peridot and other young Gems, though they've heard of Rose Quartz, have never actually seen her image because Homeworld is doing everything they can to cover up their losses from the war. Thanks for reading!_


	5. Chapter 5

_Status Update_  
 _1/5/2017 - I did some editing to the conversations between Steven and Peridot towards the middle and end of this chapter. Should flow a bit better now._

* * *

Peridot stood on the one island of solid ground in a sea of pink vegetation. She could never have imagined such a place existing, let alone _inside_ another creature. The surreal atmosphere made her feel drowsy, her body heavy. Her curiosity overrode these foreign feelings, spurring her into investigating some of the different items that adorned the island.

There were a few random trinkets here and there but Peridot almost immediately took notice of the Gem, safely encased in a pink bubble of some sort. Its distinctive shape was the most peculiar she'd ever laid eyes on; she had never seen a Gem with such an oddly unique shape or coloration, its surface almost opalescent in appearance. Peridot was tempted to take a closer look at it but the more rational side of her didn't want to risk disrupting its containment. It was probably in there for a reason and she wasn't exactly much of a fighter.

The next thing the green Gem examined was the flag, embroidered with the same symbol from the shield Steven had summoned after she'd fired the hand ship's laser at him and the other Gems. There was also a large broadsword, stored securely inside its scabbard. Noting the matching coloration of both items, Peridot assumed both the flag and this sword must have belonged to Rose Quartz herself and she couldn't keep herself from wondering just how many Homeworld Gems had lost their lives at the edge of the weapon's blade.

Peridot felt a shudder move through her form before making her way over to the tree in the middle, taking a seat at its base as she closed her eyes. Her visor remained situated at her side, still damp courtesy of Lion.

Despite the ominous weapon housed here, this place had such a peaceful aura to it. In a way, it was much like Steven himself; serene and passive, yet still holding such unexpected power.

Peridot let out a sigh, her thoughts shifting back to why she was here in the first place. She still couldn't believe how close she'd come to being found out. If Steven's lion hadn't decided to act up and provoke her into chasing after it, the Crystal Gems could have warped in and captured her without a moment's notice. Even worse, Steven wouldn't have been there to help her. She felt another tremor run through her at the thought.

Had the feline somehow sensed them coming? If so, why had it gone out of its way to help her? Perhaps it was responding to how the Steven behaved around her? They boy certainly wasn't afraid of her, that much was obvious. It was clear the animal wasn't either. Whatever its hidden motives may have been, she felt a sense of gratitude towards the creature, though she would never admit it out loud.

The technician couldn't discern how long she remained there, eyes closed as she allowed herself some much needed respite. After an indefinite amount of time had passed, Peridot looked out over the field of pink and beheld a familiar form in the middle of it, waving her over. She grabbed her visor and stood up, making her way over to the edge of the island as Steven disappeared into the field once again.

She wasn't wholly sure as to how this was supposed to work. Did she just walk off the edge and move towards the middle? Ultimately, she decided to do just that as she hesitantly stepped off. What she had expected to be more solid ground turned out to be vacant space and she promptly felt her feet come out from under her as she fell forward. The Homeworld Gem clamped her eyes shut as she braced herself for the inevitable impact.

* * *

Steven nearly jumped out of his skin when a familiar green Gem came tumbling out of Lion's mane and landed face first on the ground, a small yelp escaping her. She groaned into the dirt before lifting her head to the boy in front of her.

"Hey, Peridot! Welcome to Mask Island!" He sounded rather ecstatic. The Gem got to her feet, taking some time to assess her new surroundings. The place Steven brought her had a different atmosphere to it in comparison to the one she'd just been in, a refreshing breeze wafting through the trees as she scrutinized the area.

The Homeworld Gem took notice of the large geode formations that dotted the place, appearing to be broken in half and forming wide alcoves that one could take theoretically shelter in. The pink vegetation Peridot had previously been surrounded by was now replaced with earthy foliage, all in varying shades of blue and green. This new environment was quite pleasant, even if it felt more exposed than the one hidden away in Lion's mane. Peridot turned her attention back to the boy, a pleasantly surprised expression now adorning her features.

"So, _this_ is what you had in mind for a refuge. I must commend your quick thinking, Steven."

The child beamed in response to her compliment. He'd indeed had this place in mind but had been hesitant to bring the Gem here until he'd gotten confirmation from Pearl that they had already searched the place. The last thing they needed was for the others to show up while Peridot and he had their guard down. To make things even better, Pearl hadn't yet hooked the tracking device back up, so as far as he was aware there was no way they would even know Peridot was here. The plan was foolproof!

"Yep! Pretty nice, huh?" He pulled out the Lion Licker Pearl had given him before leaving the beach house, Lion snatching it from him without hesitation before running off elsewhere. Steven began following the path ahead to a small clearing, Peridot following close behind him as she continued to scan their surroundings.

Several of the open geodes were scattered about it. One of them was partially covered by a waterfall flowing down from above, its interior warm and inviting. Steven continued to stroll past it, making his way down to a sandy beach. The ocean was sprawled out ahead of them and the green Gem realized that this place really _was_ an island, completely surrounded by water on all sides. The only way to reach this place seemed to be via warp pad.

Steven finally halted his wandering and took a seat on the beach, setting down that odd storage pack he'd once again brought with him for this trip. He opened one of the compartments, pulling out the small bag Peridot had seen him carrying earlier. From that, he took out some sort of odd circular object with a hole in the middle; likely one of those donut items he had been going on about the night before.

She took a seat next to him as he passed it to her. The Gem glanced over the oddly shaped food item, raising an eyebrow as she curiously examined it from different angles with her floating digits.

"Why exactly does it have an empty space in the middle? That seems inefficient if you are meant to utilize it as an energy source." She held it above her, one eye peering through the hole as if she believed it could be some sort of gateway to another dimension.

Steven pulled out another one of the snacks. "It's there to make it convenient and easy to eat. You stick one of your fingers through the hole and just eat around it." He then demonstrated, poking one of his own digits through before taking a bite out of it. Peridot emulated his actions and found herself pleasantly surprised by the texture of this particular food. It was much softer than the other snack she'd been introduced to before. It also had a similar flavor, but the taste was much sweeter overall. "How is it?" Steven couldn't help asking.

"Hmm, quite… delectable." The Homeworld Gem murmured, taking another bite out of the sugary treat. She still couldn't keep her form from shuddering at the sensation that came with swallowing the chewed up mush. She'd have to get used to it if she wanted to sample any more of the edible objects Steven offered her though... "You wouldn't happen to have any more, would you?" She inquired somewhat timidly, glancing down at the child. She wasn't exactly accustomed to having an option to ask for more than what she was initially given.

Steven beamed at her, fervently digging through the bag for another one of the delicious snacks. The Gem seemed to be developing quite a fondness for chocolate flavored items, not that he could blame her of course. He held another one out for her just as she finished nearly inhaling the first one. Peridot zealously took the offered treat from him with no hesitation. She even allowed a small smile of gratitude in response to his generosity.

The young half-Gem couldn't believe the progress he'd made with Peridot in just the last day. She was actually calm around him, her wariness from their initial encounter the previous day having disappeared almost entirely now that she knew she was in a safe place.

Well, it was safe now at least. She didn't necessarily need to know about the time he'd brought Lars and Sadie to the island; when they had been attacked by the corrupted Gem that had formerly taken up residence here. But that was beside the point. The Homeworld Gem was beginning to behave in a much more easygoing manner and Steven didn't want to distract her from that.

Peridot finished up the second donut the boy had given her, wiping her mouth free of the sweet substance that had previously coated the round snack. For a short while, the both of them simply sat in a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company as they watched the waves gently lap against the shore in front of them.

The Homeworld Gem was suddenly reminded of her visor, glancing down to see it still sitting in her lap. She picked it up, examining it thoroughly. Lion's saliva had since dried onto it and left visible smudges and streaks, much to Peridot's annoyance. Steven must have noticed her movement because now he was glancing up at her, appearing to be especially interested in her eyes. It was almost as if he'd just realized they had been uncovered this whole time.

"What?" She finally asked with slight uneasiness. The Homeworld Gem realized this was actually the first time she'd allowed anyone to see her without her eyewear, even if it was unintentional. Her visor was an important part of her identity and being without it just felt unnatural.

The boy smiled up at her in response, his expression as innocent as always. "Aw, you look really cute without your visor." Peridot immediately scowled at him, a scarcely visible green blush tinting her cheeks.

" _Don't_ call me that." She retorted, gritting her teeth while giving him a sharp jab to the chest with one of her floating digits, the boy letting out a soft "ouch" in response. She'd heard that adjective and its multiple variations more than a few times from her fellow Gems. It was always directed at her, and in the most teasing manner possible too… So humiliating.

Steven brought one of his hands up to sooth the spot where the other had jabbed him, having gotten the message despite his confusion. "Uh, sorry...?" He glanced down to the translucent object in her hands.

"Here, let's get that washed off." The half-Gem stood, politely offering his hand out to her. The green Gem didn't look very thrilled with him but she took his hand nonetheless, possibly feeling a little bad for jabbing him hard enough for it to warrant a pained verbal response. Not that she would ever admit it.

The two made their way down to the water's edge. Steven gently took the visor from her, dipping it in the deep blue seawater and lightly rubbing at it in the hopes of removing the many blotches staining it. Peridot stood not too far behind him, her arms crossed over chest as she observed him. Once the child was satisfied, he used his shirt to dry the eyewear off a bit before handing it back to Peridot. She glanced over it, holding it up to the sun as she examined it thoroughly. She seemed to be content with its appearance, setting it back in its rightful position. The world once again took on the yellowish tinge Peridot was accustomed to seeing, the many greens and blues around her distorting into various warmer hues.

Steven sat back down in the sand, pleased that the Gem was satisfied. Peridot followed his lead, taking a seat beside him once again as she watched the sun's rays reflect off the endless expanse of ocean in front of them. The boy peered up at the taller Gem.

"Hey, Peridot?"

She regarded him with a curious expression. "Hmm?"

"Why do you wear that visor anyway? Doesn't it make everything look weird?" It was a bright yellow; surely it had to be bothersome to some extent. "And it doesn't really look like it would protect your gem very well…" The Homeworld Gem gave an amused smile and let out a laugh, much to his surprise. It was a good sign though. At least she wasn't mad at him.

"I'm a technician Steven, not a warrior. Its purpose isn't for protection." She removed it once again, allowing him to inspect it up close. "It's just supposed to sharpen my vision somewhat, especially when I'm sitting in front of a screen most of the day. It helps make the light less straining on my eyes."

The child looked somewhat disappointed. "Aw, you mean it doesn't do any super cool Gem stuff?" His reaction drew a few more chuckles from her. She shook her head slightly, playfully rolling her eyes at him.

"No, Steven. Not every piece of Gem tech is going to be some extraordinary marvel of technology." She placed her visor back in its proper position again, a smile still lingering on her face. "I suppose it does complement my appearance quite nicely though, doesn't it?" She asked, her tone smug.

Steven offered a nod in reply. "Does it not cover your gem so that you can still summon your weapon and stuff like that?" The boy had figured by now that the blaster the other Gem utilized wasn't her _actual_ weapon. A Gem's gemstone normally glowed when they summoned their weapon and he'd never seen Peridot's do anything of the sort.

Peridot's expression seemed to morph from one of pride to anxiousness, her smug smile vanishing. "Er, well that's what it's supposed to be for…yes. At least, for other classes of Gem." The boy seemed to instantly take notice of her change in tone, as she presumed he unfortunately would.

"Do you know how to summon a weapon?"

The Gem winced, having anticipated that question. She crossed her arms apprehensively and looked to the side, avoiding eye contact. "Of _course_ I do, don't be ridiculous. What self-respecting Gem wouldn't?" She stated with an air of fake confidence.

Steven saw through her obvious bluff right away. He knew what it was like to not have a proper grasp on his own Gem abilities. Of course, he _was_ half-human so for the longest time he had figured the difficulties he'd experienced when he was first learning to summon his shield and bubble had been due to that; his unique element of humanity.

Yet Peridot was clearly a full-fledged Gem; one that didn't know how to summon a weapon at all. If she even had one to begin with. He guessed it was a possibility. She had said herself that she was only a technician.

Steven could see the other regarding him nervously out of the corner of her eye, probably somewhat fearful he was going to think less of her for this. "Hey, it's okay. Maybe you don't have one?" He gave a playful shrug. The other's gaze hardened into a glare as she turned her head towards him for just a few moments before turning away again, the action seeming to indicate that this was something she was already well aware of. "There's nothing wrong with that."

Peridot relaxed slightly as soon as she realized he wasn't going to tease her. This was Steven after all, so the chances of him actually having any ill intent towards her were negligible. "I appreciate the understanding." She let out a tired sigh, facing towards him once again. "I suppose I shouldn't be so standoffish towards you after witnessing the extent of your hospitality." She reasoned. "And I do at least have my blaster, so it's not like I'm completely defenseless." The child nodded in agreement.

"Do other Peridots have weapons?" The green Gem gave the boy an irritated look, feeling her patience on the subject beginning to wane. So many inquiries.

"I'd imagine not. We're all in the same class of Gems. They don't want us fighting, so there'd be no reason for us to possess weapons of our own."

"What about those other cool abilities you have?" Steven continued questioning, having noticed her irritation but deciding to push his luck and continue the conversation anyway. "Are those connected to your gem?" Peridot looked apprehensive at that, though why Steven wasn't sure.

"You certainly do ask a lot of questions." She murmured, her irritation now more apparent in her voice. Steven decided to acknowledge it this time, wisely backing off a bit.

"Sorry. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Good." She answered curtly. I feel I've already responded to more than enough of your inquiries." The green Gem's glare softened only slightly when she saw his previously expression falter a bit. She let out another sigh, this one sounding somewhat annoyed. "I apologize. I _suppose_ that was uncalled for, speaking to you in such a way."

"It's okay." Steven didn't take it personally. He was admittedly a little disappointed that she didn't continue to answer him but he wasn't about to push her any further about this when it was obviously something she didn't enjoy speaking about. "I probably shouldn't be overwhelming you with so many questions anyway."

If Steven was completely honest with himself, it was amazing the Homeworld Gem had been so patient with him to begin with. Peridot definitely seemed like the type of Gem who had to really hold someone in high regard to behave so calmly towards them, especially given her normally jittery nature.

Hmm.

He turned to her once more. "Actually, I _may_ have just one more question."

Peridot rolled her eyes. Of course. "Ask away, if you must."

The boy hesitated slightly, contemplating how to word his question. He decided to keep it simple. "Are we friends?" The green Gem's bored expression vanished almost immediately, a somewhat baffled one replacing it.

"Friends?" She echoed. Peridot had never used the word to describe any of her acquaintances on Homeworld, and it had definitely never been used by anyone in regards to her. Steven gazed up at her, a hopeful look shining in his eyes as his uneasiness melted away.

"Yeah, you know. Like buddies!" Peridot's confusion only seemed to grow. Did the Steven not realize she was still planning on returning home at some point? Why would he address her with such a designation when he would probably never see her again afterwards?

The Homeworld Gem suddenly felt a sharp pang of sadness at that realization. Once she did return home, she would definitely never have a chance to encounter this loving human ever again.

But, surely that would be okay. Things would just go back to the way they were before he and the Crystal Gems had ever encountered her. She could get back to her normal routine back home and Steven wouldn't have to worry about her anymore.

And if he did, it would only be a temporary emotion because the Earth would be…

The green Gem clenched her eyes shut, her digits coming up to her forehead as if she was trying to soothe some physical pain there. She tried to block out these sudden feelings but they only seemed to intensify with each thought

"Peridot!" The technician suddenly became aware of Steven calling her name, trying to bring her back from the feeling of depression she had just allowed herself to sink into. She allowed her digits to drop back down to her sides as she addressed the child.

"Y-Yes?"

It was then when she noticed the moisture that had built up in his eyes, as well as in her own. "W-Why are you crying?" She didn't know. But the look on Steven's face, coupled with the shakiness of his voice caused something to snap inside her.

Everything seemed to hit her all at once. The helplessness of her situation here on Earth. The feelings of isolation. The emotional connection she'd unconsciously formed with Steven. The Earth's fate, which would in turn become Steven's fate. It was unrelenting. For possibly the first time in her existence, Peridot could felt her emotional barriers breaking down.

The Gem brought her floating digits up to her face and attempted to wipe her eyes, a few sniffles seeming to escape from her involuntarily. The action caused her visor to slip from its position, silently falling to the ground. She looked to Steven, her teary gaze catching his own. Her light projection seemed to act entirely on instinct as she felt her truncated arms slowly but firmly wrap around the boy, bringing him close to her as her sniffling gave way to quiet sobbing.

Oh stars, what was wrong with her? This wasn't something that Peridots were supposed to allow to happen. They were supposed to prioritize logic above all else, not let emotion interfere. Yet that was exactly what she was doing right now. So Earth was going to be a lost cause, so what? Why should she care? Her Diamond didn't, so why should she?

She glanced back down to the young human in her arms, already knowing the answer.

The green Gem hated herself for this. Emotions were useless, only ever seeming to impede progress. What purpose did they serve? Self-preservation should be her number one priority at the moment, and yet…

Her grip on the child tightened.

Steven wasn't quite sure how to respond to the current situation he'd found himself in. Peridot had gone silent for a few moments, unshed tears beginning to build in the corners of her eyes not long after. Now she held him in a firm, protective embrace. He couldn't think of any other course of action than to simply return it, resting the side of his face against her torso. He could feel his own tears streaming down his cheeks, no doubt a side effect of his strong empathy. He paid them little mind, only focusing on comforting the other in any way he could.

Steven tightened his grip just slightly, admittedly perplexed by the other Gem's actions but still wordlessly signaling to her that he was there for her. Peridot's grasp on him tightened again in response, though not to the point of it being painful.

Through the disheartening misery that was her current emotional state, Peridot abruptly remembered Steven's original question; the one that had essentially reduced her to such an emotional mess in the first place. "S-Steven." She managed to get the boy's name out.

The child lifted his head to look up at her, his own eyes brimming with tears. It was all very distressing for both him and the Homeworld Gem but her reaction definitely seemed to indicate that she had an answer for him. She glanced down at him, trying to push back more tears as soon as she saw the look on his face.

"Yes." She managed a sad smile. Steven, despite the sorrow he was experiencing with her, offered her one in return.

Stars, he was as miserable as she was and yet he still found the strength to smile for her. Peridot rested the side of her face on top of his head, simply holding the young child close to her. Both of them sat in a somber but comforting silence, the only sound being that of the waves that continued to hypnotically lap against the nearby shoreline.

* * *

 _A/N: Did Catch and Release throw anyone else for more loops than they expected, because it sure did me. Anyway, new chapter. I'm such a sucker for fluff and angst. Thanks to everyone who dropped by and left a comment! I'll see you guys next chapter!_


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Huzzah! An update at last!_

* * *

It hadn't been very long since Steven and Peridot first arrived on the island, probably only an hour or so at the most. The Homeworld Gem had calmed down from her earlier breakdown, though a stray tear could occasionally still be seen trailing down her face. Steven remained situated in her lap, his arms wrapped around her with his head resting in the crook of her neck.

The green Gem was thankful for the child's close proximity. She continued to run her floating digits through his curly shock of hair, still in the process of getting herself back in order. With her muddled thoughts finally clearing, Peridot was further reminded as to why getting off this planet was so important.

The Cluster; the whole reason she had ended up coming to Earth in the first place. It was only a matter of time before that monstrosity emerged. It had been at the back of her mind the entire time she'd been on this planet… And definitely a contributing factor to her earlier relapse.

Peridot couldn't let her emotional connection with Steven prevent her from leaving; she just _couldn't_. They may have formed a bond in the brief period of time they'd been together, but Homeworld was still her place of origin. She couldn't just give up on everything she'd ever known. Even if the child somehow managed to convince her that this planet was one worth residing on, none of it would matter… Earth couldn't escape its inevitable demise. Peridot briefly glanced down to her makeshift foot.

She was beginning to contemplate if the same was true for her. Homeworld wouldn't be happy about her failing her mission. She shook her head angrily.

No! None of this was her fault! She hadn't exactly asked to be stranded here… Surely they'd give her a reprieve! At least, as long as they were even planning on rescuing her from this ticking time bomb..

The young technician could continue to hope that help would arrive but it was becoming apparent that she couldn't cling to that strategy forever. If aid didn't come soon, she'd perish along with the rest of the planet…

And what could she do about Steven? He wouldn't escape the Earth's violent destruction if he remained here… She had no issues with leaving this planet and its various lifeforms to their fate but she just couldn't bring herself to feel so callous in regards to Steven. Not after all he'd done for her. Perhaps she could return the favor; find a way to bring him with her…

The green Gem discarded that thought immediately. She had no idea how she would even begin to attempt keeping him hidden from the Homeworld Authorities. Jasper had been exceedingly interested in him, to the point of threatening to present him to Yellow Diamond herself. What if other Gems tried to do the same? And aside from that, Homeworld didn't exactly have any of the accommodations humans and other organic lifeforms needed in order to survive.

Peridot let out a low sigh of frustration, replacing her visor that had fallen to the ground earlier. It wasn't like Steven would agree to go with her anyway. She knew he'd refuse on the basis that he'd have to leave everyone else he knew behind. And he was far too noble to allow himself to simply abandon his home in favor of his own self-preservation.

What was she going to do…? She couldn't keep this from Steven forever. He deserved to know about the danger he was in… But how was she supposed to break it to him?

 _'_ _Oh hey, Steven! Funny story! Your home planet's going to be literally torn apart from the inside and if we don't get out of here, we'll die in one of the most horrible ways imaginable!'_

Yeah, this wasn't going to be easy to deal with. Stars, this whole situation was so stressful…

"Peri…?" She glanced down to the child cuddling up to her, suddenly realizing that her grip on him had tightened in response to her heightened anxiety over the current circumstances. He'd obviously taken notice, regarding her with an expression of both inquisitiveness and apprehension. "Are you going to be okay now?"

 _'_ _At this rate, probably not.'_

"Yes, Steven. I-I believe I'm feeling a bit better now." She replied. It wasn't a _complete_ lie. Sure, her internal thoughts were still an utter whirlwind of worry and dread but at least her physical signs of distress had lessened to some extent. She honestly wasn't even bothered by his use of her nickname. That was the least of her worries right now.

He seemed satisfied enough with her answer, returning to his previous position with his head resting against her. "Okay, if you're really sure. I just wanted to double-check."

Peridot remained silent. Through her rather grim thoughts, she couldn't shake the fact that Steven was seeing her in such a vulnerable state. If she'd had any earlier intention of keeping the young child from growing closer to her, it was completely out the window now. If anything, her emotional openness was probably inadvertently bringing them closer.

She really couldn't do anything right.

Peridot somberly looked out over the horizon, noticing that the previously cerulean blue skies above them had rather abruptly taken on a dreary gray color. A confused expression crossed her features. She was aware of the many different shades Earth's sky could take on depending on its rotation cycle but she couldn't recall it ever having such an ashen appearance before. The only place she could recall it looking anything like this was back in the Kindergarten, an area completely devoid of organic life.

For what reason would the sky ever look like that in as lush a place as this?

"Oh, it looks like it might start raining soon!" Steven suddenly piped up excitedly, startling the green Gem. A loud rumbling could be heard in the distance, occasionally accompanied by a streak of bright light illuminating the darkened, billowing clouds. Peridot couldn't say she shared the same excitement Steven seemed to have in response to this mysterious phenomenon.

Why the rumbling? Was it a bad omen? Perhaps it was signaling the emergence of the Cluster…?

 _'_ _Not yet…There has to be more time.'_

"S-Steven, _what_ is that noise? And what is rain exactly?" She couldn't help clutching the boy a bit tighter. Anything unknown to the Homeworld Gem was immediately regarded with trepidation at best and outright terror at worst. The child nestled up to her was her only real source of familiarity on this foreign planet, and the only comfort she had.

Steven glanced up at her, a surprised look on his face. "You don't know about rain? Or thunderstorms?" Peridot merely shook her head in response. At least this was something he seemed to be familiar with. If that was the case, then it's unlikely this strange phenomenon had anything to do with the Cluster. Of course, that didn't automatically rule out the possibility of it being dangerous.

"Negative. I don't recall anything like this occurring back on Homeworld." She continued examining the turbulent clouds, nervously observing how they appeared to be moving in their direction.

"I can tell you about it. We should find some shelter first though. It looks like it might get pretty bad." Steven wriggled his way out of her embrace, Peridot being somewhat reluctant to let him do so. The child grabbed his backpack off the ground and helped his Gem companion to her feet.

The Gem in question was beginning to grow more anxious as she continued to watch the sky, unable to pull her gaze away from it. Steven led her up to the elevated area of the island they had passed through earlier. They made their way over to the large geode with the waterfall cascading down in front of it, meandering around it and into the shelter. The technician made herself comfortable inside the large alcove as Steven went off to find Lion, not wanting the feline to get caught out in the storm.

Peridot felt much safer inside the geode, appreciating the way the natural shelter gave off such a warm, comforting glow. It was a wonderful contrast to the cold, somber sky outside. She watched the clouds in the distance continue to make their way over the ocean and nearly shrieked when Lion suddenly came bounding into the place while she was distracted. The pink feline lied down at the back of the alcove in anticipation of the storm brewing outside. A panting Steven followed not long after.

"Found h-him." He managed to gasp out before collapsing onto the ground. Peridot playfully rolled her eyes at him. So dramatic. The poor child probably had to chase the animal halfway across the island.

The feline could never make things easy for anyone it seemed, even its master.

Peridot stood from her spot on the ground, taking it upon herself to move Steven further into the safety of the shelter. She picked him up from the ground and hurriedly moved to the back of the alcove just as another booming clap of thunder sounded right outside. The green Gem shuddered in response, unconsciously clutching the boy closer to her as she plopped herself down on the ground next to Lion.

"Hey, it's okay. It's just thunder. It won't hurt you." He assured her, trying to persuade her to loosen her grip just slightly. With how jumpy Peridot acted towards anything she perceived as a threat, which was basically everything, he had a feeling this was quickly going to develop into a habit.

"W-what about the electricity?"

"Uh, that's lightning and it _can_ hurt you." He answered sheepishly. "That's one of the reasons I wanted us to find somewhere to take shelter. It'll probably start raining in a few minutes if we can hear the thunder so close."

Peridot marginally loosened her grip, only for it to immediately retighten as soon as another clap of thunder shook their temporary refuge. "Again, what is this…rain exactly?"

"Just wait a few minutes and you'll see!" Steven replied enthusiastically.

True to Steven's word, a short time later the first few raindrops began careening down to Earth. The half-Gem stood and moved closer to the shelter's entrance, signaling the other over to him. Peridot's previous anxiousness towards the thunder and lightning quickly transformed into curiosity as soon as she caught sight of the falling liquid.

The green Gem hesitantly got to her feet and moved towards the front of the alcove, marveling at the way the drops would harmlessly run down the surrounding foliage or occasionally cling to the ends of leaves. She found herself in awe as the water continued to fall with increasing intensity. What had started out as a light drizzle rapidly transformed into a downpour so loud it could practically rival the thunder. Another boom sounded and Peridot quickly retreated to the back of the shelter, her fear making itself known once again.

What was the purpose of this fluid pouring down from the atmosphere? Why did such startling sounds have to accompany it?

Steven took notice of her distress, following her deeper into the hollow geode. He took a seat beside his fellow Gem, setting his backpack down on the floor. He leaned up against the other in response to one of her robotic arms lightly wrapping around him. The two of them observed the clashing elements outside, waiting for the storm to subside. Peridot eventually interrupted the silence.

"Steven, why does the Earth behave in such a way? What is the purpose of it all?" The green Gem's eyes remained focused on the downpour outside. Occasionally, she would flinch whenever another clap of thunder rolled across the island but otherwise she seemed to have calmed, knowing she was relatively safe inside their shelter.

The child followed her gaze. "Well, you know the ocean out there?"

Peridot scoffed lightheartedly, narrowing her eyes at him slightly. "No, Steven. I was unaware of the existence of this enormous body of water that covers most of the planet's surface."

Steven chuckled at her sarcasm. She really did have to be calming down somewhat if she felt safe enough to joke around with him. "Right. Well, the way it works is the sun heats up the surface and some of the water evaporates into clouds. Eventually, when the clouds get really heavy, it rains. Just like this."

The Homeworld Gem wrinkled her nose slightly. "So, what you're saying is that scalding hot liquid pours down from the sky at random intervals?"

If that was the case, how could anything even survive on this planet? Were the thunder and lightning meant to be some sort of natural warning system to those caught in the tempest's path?

Steven shook his head. "No, it's just water. It can't hurt you or anything. Neither can the thunder."

"The lightning can…." Peridot muttered, remembering Steven's description of it from earlier.

"It _can_ but it's pretty rare to be struck by lightning. He reassured her. You don't really want to be caught out in the open if you see any though."

The two sat for a while longer, Peridot's flinching continuing to lessen as the storm went on. Eventually, the booming thunder seemed to grow more distant and the random flashes of electricity appeared to be doing the same

Steven stood up abruptly, making his way over to the entrance. Peridot raised an eyebrow at him, concerned by his actions. "Steven?"

"The rain's starting to lighten up a bit. Did you want to go out in it for a little while?"

Peridot hesitantly made her way back over to the boy's side. She noted that the downpour had indeed lessened up significantly, now resembling the way it had looked earlier when it was just a drizzle

"That wasn't so bad, I suppose." Peridot muttered. "At least it didn't last long…"

"The worst part of the storm is normally over pretty quickly." Steven held his hand out into the drizzle, letting the rain gather in his palm. "Try holding your hand out in it. It feels really cool!"

Peridot glanced down to her floating digits. "I don't exactly feel much sensation in these..." She admitted.

The child regarded her with a somber expression. "Oh, I'm really sorry. I didn't think about that."

"It's not that I'm completely incapable of feeling _any_ sensation." She started, hoping to ease the child's remorse. "It's just that I'd have to-"

Peridot stopped herself midsentence. "Er, never mind. Forget I said anything."

She ignored Steven's perplexed gaze, swiftly following his request and allowing the clear liquid to run down her digits. As expected, she couldn't perceive any of the sensations that were associated with this particular earthly phenomenon.

It was a good thing she was rather skilled when it came to hiding any signs of disappointment.

Steven didn't ask any more questions, much to her relief. It was likely he'd learned his lesson from earlier, respecting her limits. Instead, he reached out for her hand.

"Did you want to try standing out in it? It feels really nice on your face." He tried persuading her, his voice taking on a bit of a singsong tone.

 _'_ _Well, he did say it couldn't hurt me...'_ Peridot mused to herself. She was comfortable enough with the mysterious substance getting on her mechanical limbs but she was slightly more apprehensive about it coming into contact with her bare skin.

"I suppose that'd be alright…" She was still uneasy but she had no real reason to doubt Steven. She trusted he wouldn't harm her in any way.

Steven led her out from underneath the shelter, staying close to her for the time being. The raindrops clung to Peridot harmlessly, rolling down her face and body in much the same way as she'd observed them doing with the surrounding foliage. She even felt bold enough to stick her tongue out slightly, letting a few water drops land on it. The liquid was tasteless overall, nothing like the more solid edibles Steven had introduced her to previously.

How the boy could handle having to ingest this stuff on a regular basis without getting sick of it was beyond her. It did feel rather refreshing on her skin though. Not scalding or unpleasant as she had expected but instead cool and quite enjoyable. Far more pleasant than the thunder and lightning that had first signaled its arrival.

"Woohoo!" Steven had taken to running around in the drizzle, circling in excitement with his arms raised up in the air. Peridot was content to remain where she stood, watching the darker clouds move further into the distance. The green Gem turned her gaze heavenward, simply observing the way the raindrops cascaded down from the gray skies above. Such a peculiar spectacle this was.

 _'_ _Hmm, perhaps there is more to this planet than I had originally believed.'_

* * *

Peridot sat by the entrance to the geode, continuing to watch the rainfall. The worst part of the storm may have moved on but the rain was here to stay for a while longer it seemed. Not that she minded. There was something…comforting about simply watching this natural occurrence.

Steven and his animal companion had left earlier, though only after much coaxing from Peridot. The green Gem had assured the child she would remain here until he returned at a later time and that she was content with having some time to herself.

The young technician found herself lost in thought. Aside from the impending threat of the Cluster, Peridot also couldn't help pondering the locations of her informant and escort.

Stars, she didn't even know if they were still alive.

She had seen the smoke from the wreckage of the warship but at the time she had been so focused on her own survival that she didn't bother trying to investigate the crash site. Her escape pod had landed a significant distance away and she had no intent of venturing in the direction of the Crystal Gems' base anyway. The two of them were on their own as far as she had been concerned.

Jasper had likely survived. She was a war veteran. As a Quartz-type Gem, she was a natural-formed soldier in every respect. The number of battles that Gem had fought in and lived through probably outnumbered the years Peridot had even existed. The Lazuli Gem, on the other hand, Peridot wasn't so sure about. She seemed rather fragile in appearance but if she had survived, she was more than likely already off planet thanks to her natural flight ability.

The green Gem couldn't help feeling envious of the other. She was probably already back on Homeworld while she was stranded here with no way out of her current predicament.

The technician glanced down to the beach underneath her current vantage point, the ocean still having a dull, gray appearance to it thanks to the rain. The waves lapped at the sand before being drawn back and moving forward again, further eroding the shoreline. Peridot found herself engrossed in this rhythmic action, finding it calming and somewhat hypnotizing.

After a while, the green Gem quickly took notice that the waves, peculiarly enough, seemed to pull farther back each time before brushing against the shore with even more force.

That was…odd. When she and Steven had been watching the ocean's patterns earlier, it had been calm and predictable, always hitting the shore with the same amount of strength each time. It had only become more forceful when those dark storm clouds had rolled in.

But the storm had long since moved on, leaving only rain, and even that seemed to be letting up. Why would the waves be acting so erratically if the worst of the storm had already passed? She looked farther down the shore and could only assume it was this way all around the circumference of the island.

This was making her more than a little unnerved.

Despite her anxiousness, Peridot continued to observe the ocean's odd behavior, hoping to find some logical reasoning behind it. Before long, she heard a rather unsettling sound in the distance. A faint pounding, though it sounded somewhat distorted. It sounded like it was under the water somewhere, and gradually nearing the other side of the island.

The technician's eyes widened and she could feel her body drawing in quick, short breaths; a natural fear response, even for Gems.

It didn't sound disastrous enough to be the Cluster. That was one good thing to note. On the other hand, she would have at least known for sure what this was if it was the Cluster. What could this thing possibly be!?

Peridot felt her body instinctively moving further into the geode, huddling down on the ground and trying to take shelter as best she could. Her mind, on the other hand, knew this was a foolish course of action. She wouldn't be able to see the threat approaching if she stayed here. And yet she was almost too afraid to move anywhere else.

 _'_ _Argh! Hiding isn't going to do you any good if you end getting cornered!'_ She reasoned with herself. It was logical reasoning. If this thing was hostile, she wouldn't stand a chance if it trapped her here. This was an _island_. There was no way off except for…

Her only chance was to get to the warp pad.

With her decision made, Peridot stood and tentatively made her way to the entrance once again. She could feel herself trembling slightly as she poked her head out and cautiously observed her surroundings. She was thankful that the rain had finally passed, making for much better visibility. The pounding continued to grow louder, still distorted under the water. It was getting far too close for her liking. She had to stop hesitating and just _run_ for it.

Easier said than done; she kept freezing in place, hesitant to venture out from the shelter. Her mind was screaming at her to stop being such a coward and sprint to safety already but her body just wouldn't cooperate.

 _'_ _Coward! Pathetic, weak, traitorous coward!'_

Peridot froze up once again, suddenly becoming aware of what sounded like something _huge_ breaking through the surface of the water, down on the shore not far from her location. It appeared to be opposite the end her and Steven had been situated on earlier. From here, she could suddenly see a mass of green through the foliage. And…was that someone speaking?

"You can't keep me chained down forever, brat!"

That voice. It almost sounded like two different beings speaking in sync.

"That's what you think!" It was the same voice but it seemed to have a slightly higher pitch to it, rather than the gruff tone it previously had.

 _'_ _Get out of here!'_ Peridot's thoughts were screaming at her. Once again, her body simply wouldn't respond.

Who or what could this be?

The Homeworld Gem chanced moving closer, crouching and keeping herself hidden amongst the undergrowth. This was beyond foolish. Her curiosity was going to end up getting her shattered if she kept this up. And yet, still she peered through the vegetation, her actions catching her a more detailed glimpse of what had frightened her so much.

Abomination. Monstrosity. She wasn't sure which word fit better. From her limited view, she could see its…unnatural form. It was _massive_ , with strange, rippling patterns at various points on its body. The creature didn't even appear to have any legs, just six arms with four of them _acting_ as legs.

What kind of horrid creature was this!?

The thing almost seemed to be locked in some sort of internal struggle, as if it were two separate beings locked in a brutal fight for control.

Wait a minute. Was that a _gem_ on its face, where the nose should be? Peridot caught a quick glimpse of another one as well on its back. It had a very distinctive, teardrop shape…

Jasper. The Lazuli Gem. They…

 _'_ _No… Surely they couldn't-'_

Peridot's horrifying realization halted as soon as she saw the beast looking in her direction. "You!" It was the higher pitched voice, which the Homeworld Gem now understood was Lazuli's. It seemed Jasper had momentarily lost the battle for control. Which meant…

 _'_ _Oh no…'_

Peridot felt herself tremble when the horror raised one of its many arms in the air, a column of seawater moving in response. The green Gem's fear and momentary disgust immediately transformed into sheer terror.

This thing was going to kill her.

Peridot let out an inhuman shriek before turning and sprinting in the opposite direction, the column of water just barely missing her. All logical reasoning disappeared from the Homeworld Gem in an instant. Only the desperate need to survive remained.

Her surroundings seemed to blur together as she ran faster than she ever had in her short life. She could hear the thing chasing after her, as well as the occasional sound of water shooting past her; more than a few times it was way too close for comfort.

The green Gem could feel fearful tears welling up in her eyes, only further serving to obscure where she was going. She had never felt such panic before. This was true, genuine fear for her life. Not once had she ever thought a technician like herself would have to go through this kind of distress.

After what felt like an eternity, Peridot caught a glimpse of hope.

The warp pad, just ahead of her.

 _'_ _Yes! I still have a chance! I can still-'_

The green Gem suddenly felt herself falling forwards, her feet having come out from under her while running through one of the many puddles dotting the island, courtesy of the recent storm.

Disoriented, Peridot waited for her vision to stop blurring, only to let out a shriek as she felt a massive hand wrap around her thin frame, lifting her up into the air. Another wave of panic shot through her as she was brought in front of the beast. The _rage_ in its eyes was enough to let Peridot know she was finished. The green Gem could feel the tears spilling out of her eyes.

"You! I'm going to make you pay for imprisoning me!" It was the Lazuli Gem speaking, and she sounded furious.

Peridot suddenly felt the thing squeezing her and let out a desperate, pained cry. The abomination was going to crush her!

She frantically tried to get out of the fusion's grasp but her arms were pinned to her sides, leaving her unable to fire her blaster. Peridot could feel the thing's grip tighten even more, the pain becoming unbearable.

No, she wasn't ready to die. Not like this.

The Gem suddenly felt her fear and panic warp into a seething rage, her eyes clenching shut and blinking the tears away.

"I'm not going down that easily, you abomination!" She snarled.

Acting on what she could only assume to be instinct, the Gem shot a wave of electricity through her form and was dropped to the ground below as it surged through her captor's body. The fusion seemed particularly susceptible to it and struggled to regain its stability. Peridot pushed through the painful landing and scrambled to her feet, rushing towards the warp pad.

Once she reached it, she turned to see the thing after her again, reaching out for her. The technician hurriedly activated the device, disappearing into the warp stream.

Relief washed over her. Her mind had been too frantic to decide on a set location but at the moment, she didn't care. She was alive and more than ready arrive at her unknown destination.

* * *

 _A/N: Surprise! Malachite is indeed making an appearance in this story, so I've edited the tags accordingly. See you next chapter and thanks for reading!_

 _Also, just in case a couple people were confused, Peridot isn't in the Malachite realm. She's still on Mask Island and well Malachite had to turn up somewhere. Peridot just happened to be really unlucky and get caught in her path._


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: A bit more conflict in this one than the previous chapters, so enjoy!_

* * *

Steven soon found himself back inside the beach house as the warp stream dissipated around him. The young half-Gem glanced around momentarily, his eyes automatically wandering over to the basket he'd set up for Amethyst. The boy was unsurprised to find it empty, having expected the purple Gem to regenerate in his absence.

He made a mental note to be sure to give her a big hug the next time he saw her again. He was sure she'd be more than eager to tell him about what happened at the Strawberry Battlefield.

Steven noticed that Garnet and Pearl were also nowhere to be seen, probably already having retired to their respective rooms in the Temple for the time being. After Amethyst's most recent mishap, it was likely they were debating on their next course of action in finding Peridot.

Or Malachite. After all, the fusion was still a major threat…

Steven stepped off the warp pad and made his way over to the screen door to let Lion outside so the feline could reclaim his usual spot under the porch. The heat wave may have passed but it was still relatively warm out now that it was early in the afternoon. Shame it wasn't raining here like it still was back on the island. Beach City was long overdue for a good rainstorm.

Steven had been hesitant about leaving Peridot on Mask Island but the green Gem had insisted that she would be fine on her own for the time being. He understood her wanting some time to herself but he still planned on returning later on in the day to see how she was doing. What he was most nervous about at present was keeping the others from finding out about her location.

He hated the idea of lying to Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. They were his family and not being able to be truthful with them was hurtful.

And yet, Steven was honestly scared of what they might do to Peridot if he _was_ truthful, especially Pearl. He knew the pale Gem had stated that she could possibly have valuable information regarding Homeworld but he just couldn't shake that image of her leaping directly for Peridot's gem back on the warship. He'd never seen Pearl so livid. It had frightened him.

Even with corrupted Gems, they had never aimed directly for the gemstone…

And along with just keeping Peridot hidden, what were they going to do aside from that? Malachite was still a priority as well but he couldn't exactly expect the others to see his new friend as any less of a danger. She was still the enemy in their eyes.

Steven furrowed his brow in thought. He really had to speak with someone else about this. He had found temporary reassurance in Sadie, sure, but he needed to talk to someone who was as familiar with Gem related topics as he was.

Connie. He could trust her with this. And surely her parents would be okay with her coming over now that the worst of the heat wave was over. Maybe he could even introduce her to Peridot. It might help the Gem feel a bit more secure about the current situation, knowing she had more than one ally to turn to.

Oh man, if Pearl or Garnet ever found out about what he was doing, he'd probably be grounded for the next few centuries…

Steven took a seat on the couch, setting his backpack down and pulling his phone out from the front pocket. He dialed the familiar number and anxiously waited for his friend to pick up, hopeful that it would indeed be Connie at the other end and not Mrs. Maheswaran. She'd probably pick up on his uneasy tone in a heartbeat…

"Hello?" He finally heard Connie answer on the other end of the line, much to his relief.

"Connie!"

"Steven, hey what's up?"

"Connie, do you think you could come over later on today? There's some pretty important stuff going on right now…" He couldn't keep the worried tone out of his voice.

Steven could hear the sound of pages being flipped through. It seemed he'd interrupted one of his friend's reading sessions. "Yeah, sure. I was actually going to ask my parents if I could head over to Beach City a little later. What's going on?"

The boy hesitated a bit. "I'll fill you in when you get here. We might have to go somewhere else if the Gems are here."

On the other end, Connie was quiet for a few moments, which was doing nothing to ease Steven's feelings of apprehension. "You mean…this is something the Crystal Gems don't know about?"

He let out a couple of nervous laughs. "Uh, no. Not at the moment. Just come on over when you can, please. Say, an hour from now? I'll let you know then."

His friend made what sounded like a small grunt of understanding. "Alright, Steven. I'll be there."

The two hung up immediately after and Steven felt himself fall back onto the couch, hopeful that this was the right way to handle the situation.

He had no idea how Peridot was going to react to his human companion, though he doubted she'd see her as a threat. Connie was a human, not a Gem. Peridot would have no reason to fear her, which was exactly why he was willing to introduce the two.

But at the same time, was it right to get Connie involved in this mess? Steven shook his head to help clear his thoughts. _'Everything will be fine… Don't worry about it.'_

The child sat up and made his way over to the kitchen, deciding to temporarily ease his concerns by making some peanut butter and jam sandwiches for when his friend arrived later. Nothing could cheer him up better than one of his favorite lunches.

* * *

Peridot slowly opened her eyes, barely aware that she'd even closed them before the warp pad had activated. Much to the green Gem's relief, it seemed the fusion hadn't been able to follow her through the warp stream.

Thank the stars for that.

Peridot's momentary sense of respite vanished as soon as she finally realized just where she had ended up. Her eyes darted around the beach house, hurriedly looking for any indications of the Crystal Gems. Mercifully, they didn't appear to be around.

She glanced to her left to see none other than Steven, seemingly preparing some sort of sustenance for himself in the section of the house across from the living area. The child must have heard the warp pad chiming, as he made his way over to investigate. A shocked expression crossed his features as soon as he laid eyes on her.

"Peridot!?" He dropped the utensil in his hand, the silverware colliding to the tiled floor with a sharp clang. "What are you doing here!? The Gems could come walking out of the Temple at any moment!" He kept his voice as low as possible, not wanting to draw any unneeded attention from the other residents.

The green Gem didn't pay his warnings any mind for the time being, still in the process of calming down from her earlier panic. She was already completely aware of how unwise it probably was for her to come here of all places. But it wasn't like she could help it or that she even had anywhere else to go for that matter! She had been fleeing for her life, so it was no surprise she had inadvertently brought herself to Steven's dwelling!

The Homeworld Gem pushed her inner thoughts aside and sprinted over to the boy as best she could in her slightly dazed state, her floating digits grabbing ahold of his shoulders. "Steven! We can't go back there!"

The child in question placed a finger over his mouth as he nervously glanced over to the Temple door, trying to signal to her to keep her voice down. "Go back where? The island? W-why not?"

Peridot momentarily glanced around, again searching for any signs of those Crystal Clods as she continued her shouting fit, not quite seeming to understand Steven's gesture. "Jasper! Lazuli! They've…fused into this horrid creature and they just came up onto the shore out of nowhere!"

Steven winced at how loud she was being but felt his eyes widen once he fully registered what she'd just said. "Wait, you saw Malachite!?"

Peridot shivered at the fusion's image that was still flashing through her mind. So, that was their proper title…

"Saw them!? I was nearly crushed by them as soon as the Lazuli Gen took control and noticed me!" The green Gem threw her truncated arms up into the air, her digits momentarily spreading out of their typical alignment to further emphasize her distress.

Steven's shock didn't wane, instead doing the opposite as soon as Peridot mentioned the ocean Gem's actions. "L-Lapis?"

Would Lapis really do something like that? It was clear she and Peridot weren't exactly fighting for the same reasons, or even the same side for that matter, but he never thought she would attempt to kill the technician…

Steven thought back to the lucid dream he'd had involving the two Gems a few weeks ago. It seemed likely Lapis really was losing herself to Malachite… And Jasper was probably no better off, if her reaction to seeing him last time was anything to go off of.

The Homeworld Gem in front of him had a look of confusion and hurt on her face, though she made sure to cover it up immediately. Why did Steven seem so concerned for Lazuli!? It was _her_ who had just about been shattered at that Gem's hands!

The green Gem waved her digits in front of the boy's face, attempting to snap him out of it. "Steven!"

The child turned his attention back to her.

If what Peridot said was true, that Malachite had actually come ashore, he had to be sure to let the Gems know! But first, he absolutely had to get Peridot out of here. As a Crystal Gem, he knew Malachite should take priority but at the same time he couldn't just abandon the Gem in front of him. For now, they'd have to go somewhere else. Having such a serious discussion here was extremely risky.

"Peridot." He spoke in a low, quiet tone. "We'll talk more about this but for the moment, we have to head away from here."

The green Gem looked over to the Temple entrance, suddenly realizing how reckless it was for her to allow her emotions to get out of control like this. The only thing really separating her from the Crystal Gems right now was a simple door.

She hesitantly nodded at Steven's suggestion, still feeling somewhat emotionally hurt that the child had taken such a strong interest in one of the Gems involved in the fusion that had nearly killed her. "Alright, but where exactly do you suggest we go this time? We can't exactly travel back to where this Malachite is."

Steven thought things over. At this rate, they were going to run out of hiding spots… He then remembered back to what Pearl had said earlier about the different areas they'd searched.

There was definitely one place they could head to.

"I think we should head to the Kindergarten." He proposed. "I know it might seem like a really obvious place to hide but we really don't have many other choices. Pearl even mentioned that they looked there right before they went to Mask Island. I don't see any reason why they'd go back."

The technician lifted a couple of her digits to her forehead, almost as if she was suffering from a headache. "Okay…" She sighed. "I trust you, Steven. So, I will follow your suggestion."

The child allowed a small smile on his face before turning his attention back to the sandwiches he had been in the process of making. He wasted no time putting everything back in its proper place in the kitchen, including the knife he'd dropped. He'd worry about lunch after he returned from the Kindergarten. He just hoped he'd get back before Connie arrived.

Steven quickly grabbed his phone just in case and pocketed it before hopping up onto the warp pad, Peridot half-heartedly following behind him. The two felt the familiar sensation of warping before disappearing from view, the beach house falling completely silent with their departure.

* * *

The Kindergarten's eerie atmosphere was just as disconcerting as it had always been. Peridot led the way over to the elevator leading the control room, completely mute as she did so. Steven noticed her silence and couldn't help being slightly confused by it. She seemed…worried about something, but what? Sure, this place was pretty creepy but she had seemed completely apathetic to it last time she was here. What had her so concerned?

Maybe she just needed reassurance that she would be safe here.

"Peridot, what's the matter? The Gems have already been here. They won't come back." He tried telling the Homeworld Gem.

The young technician let out a shaky sigh but aside from that remained silent as they finally made their way over the diagonal tunnel signaling the entrance to the control room. She gently took hold of Steven's hand and the two carefully made their descent, using the slanted angle of the shaft to slide down. Steven noticed her digits trembling slightly but didn't point it out, seeing as she'd already ignored his previous attempt at consolation.

Once they reached the bottom, the green Gem simply stood in front of him, her eyes directed downward.

"Peri, are you sure you're okay?" He decided to use her nickname, just in the hopes of getting _some_ sort of response from her, positive or negative. She'd been almost completely silent the whole way here.

The technician inhaled deeply, attempting to even out her rather erratic breathing. "Yes, Steven. I'm fine… Now, what were you going to say about…Malachite again?"

Steven was bothered by the fact that she was obviously lying to him but went along with it anyway. Malachite, in her current state, was still a huge threat that had to be subdued.

He was especially worried for Lapis. He recalled in his dream the ocean Gem saying she'd been using the weight of the ocean to hold Malachite down. If the fusion had come ashore anyway, then her original plan, for the time being, had somehow failed. And Peridot claimed that Lapis had been in control when she had tried to shatter her… It seriously sounded like the ocean Gem was losing herself and that terrified him.

 _'_ _Please be okay, Lapis…'_

Steven pulled himself away from his frightening thoughts, still hopeful that there was a way to at least momentarily calm the fusion down and, with any luck, force apart the two Gems that had formed her in the first place.

"I was going to say that I need to let the Crystal Gems know about this! They can-"

"No!" The green Gem interrupted him, her meekness seeming to have disappeared completely. "You will do no such thing!"

The child was taken aback by her sudden outburst. "Peridot, I have-"

The technician cut him off once again, concern edging its way into her voice. "No, Steven! Please!"

 _'_ _Don't get involved in this, Steven! If Jasper and the Lazuli Gem were foolish enough to fuse into something so unstable, then that was their own idiotic decision!'_

"Peridot." Steven lowered his voice, remaining patient as always. "I need to let the Gems know where Malachite is… Jasper and Lapis are a danger while they're part of such an unstable fusion! There has to be a way we can get them apart!"

The green Gem could feel her patience waning. She cared about Steven, she really did, but she hated how stubborn he was being about this! This was not something either of them should be involved in! The Crystal Clods could figure it out on their own as far as she was concerned!

"Just let them just go around rampaging! That's all fusion is good for anyway!"

Silence.

The expression on Steven's face was unreadable, his eyes narrowing at the Gem in front of him. "What do you mean by that?" The child's voice shook, likely in an effort to remain as calm as possible.

Peridot suddenly felt her self-assurance beginning to dissipate as soon as she saw the child's expression shift so drastically. She couldn't decipher what exactly he was feeling and that scared her. Had she perhaps offended him somehow?

"Fighting. That's it's meant for." She stated matter-of-factly. "The only purpose fusion serves is as a weapon."

Steven's firsts clenched, an image of Garnet, proud and confident, immediately coming to the forefront of his thoughts. He couldn't believe what he was hearing from the other Gem. Was that really how Homeworld viewed fusion? As just a weapon? That couldn't be right! Fusion was meant to be the ultimate connection between Gems! It wasn't only supposed to be used for fighting purposes! How could Peridot even think such a thing?

The child took a deep breath, keeping his temper under control. He had to remember to keep his anger directed towards Homeworld. Peridot was clearly a product of Homeworld beliefs; someone who had no experience with any other way of thinking. However, that didn't excuse her insistence on leaving Malachite be. He needed to save Lapis!

"First of all Peridot, that isn't true." The green Gem raised an eyebrow at him. Steven still held the image of Garnet in his head, only now it included Ruby and Sapphire as well. "There's so much more to it than that and I really hope you can learn that in the future. But why do you not want me to help Lapis? Why do you not want me going to the Gems about Malachite?"

Peridot couldn't comprehend anything Steven was saying in regards to fusion. What he was saying contradicted with what Homeworld had always told her throughout her short existence.

 _Was_ there really more to fusion, like Steven stated? Peridot was hesitant to believe that but the child had been truthful with her up to this point…

No. Fusions could barely even be considered Gems and this Malachite was proof of that. The fact that such a _beast_ had resulted from two perfectly functioning Gems was a testament to how foul of a process fusion really was for the Gems involved. Peridot herself had nearly been shattered by the thing! She was not about to forget that anytime soon.

"Steven, you shouldn't be involved with this. You shouldn't be responsible for dealing with that _thing_!"

Steven was looking more and more frustrated. "That's why I need to tell the Crystal Gems! They'll know what to do!"

"And you'll want to help them! I may not have known you personally for very long but I think I already have an accurate idea of how you act in these sorts of situations!" Peridot argued back.

"Of course I want to help! Malachite is a threat to my home! And Lapis is my friend! I can't just leave her like that!" Steven could feel frustrated tears welling up in his eyes at this point, his hands remaining balled up into fists.

Peridot's eyes clenched shut out of both fear and frustration. "What about me!? Are you going to just abandon me so that you can help _her_!?"

The child's expression softened, the tears starting to run down his cheeks. "What do you mean?"

Peridot could feel her own eyes beginning to well up with tears, her face contorting in emotional pain. "You heard me!" The technician sniffled, her voice cracking slightly. "You practically brushed off the fact that I'd nearly been shattered as soon as I mentioned Lazuli's name!"

Steven looked shocked. "P-Peridot-"

The Gem in question threw her visor onto the ground, frustration overwhelming her. The saline liquid that had built up in her eyes was now flowing freely down her face, only adding to her frustrated state. "Are you going to leave me to die, just like Homeworld!? Do I not mean _anything_!?"

Peridot felt her own eyes widen at what she'd just said, suddenly seeming to come to some sort of realization that Homeworld, Yellow Diamond…

They really weren't coming for her, were they?

 _'_ _Of course they aren't you fool! They never had any plans to! You're just a tool. Expendable and easily replaced!'_

That did it. The green Gem backed up a few steps before turning away from the child. She didn't get much further before she suddenly dropped to her knees. She brought her digits up to cover her face in an attempt to hide her distress from the half-Gem.

How could she be so naïve? Her message to Yellow Diamond hadn't been interfered with or anything of the sort. No, it probably got through to Homeworld just fine. It may have taken a while given the distance, but surely it arrived without issue.

It was simply ignored…

Steven remained locked in place, clearly taken aback by Peridot's reaction. He hadn't meant to seem like he was brushing her aside… He had just been in such shock about Malachite and Lapis.

The young half-Gem wandered over to the technician, who was still trying in vain to conceal just how much her realization had upset her. It was hard to watch really.

"Peri?"

The heartbroken Gem moved into a sitting position, her knees drawn up to her chest. She didn't even bother to look at him as she spoke, her voice barely audible. "They're not coming, Steven…"

The child knew she was talking about Homeworld. He couldn't imagine the anguish the other was feeling at the moment. "Peridot-"

"I always knew Homeworld thought we were worthless. Replaceable." Peridot murmured to herself, her voice breaking again. "I-I guess I just never realized how little meaning my life really had..."

Steven couldn't take hearing this. He sat directly behind the other on his knees, his arms wrapped around her middle as he felt a sense of déjà vu pass over him. He rested the side of his face against her. Tears still streamed down his cheeks in rivets as he spoke, wanting nothing more than to ease his friend's pain. "Peri, no one is replaceable. Don't ever let anyone else try to tell you differently."

The child wasn't quite sure where that had come from, considering it wasn't something he would normally have the eloquence to say. In fact, it seemed much closer to something his mother would have said, back when she was alive… He supposed it didn't matter. He just wanted his companion to feel better.

Peridot didn't have the heart to respond to him, finally dissolving into tears completely as reality struck her like a meteor. She could never return home. It would be impossible for her to go back to her old life. Her home didn't even want her. She was an outcast.

She thought back to how she'd argued with Steven earlier. How selfish she'd been. How distraught he'd sounded. She never wanted to have to see him like that again, let alone be the cause of his distress.

 _'_ _Who am I kidding…? I deserve this.'_

Peridot suddenly became aware of Steven's arms around her middle, warm and comforting despite her misery. The Gem momentarily glanced downward, a few tears landing on her knees as she did so. She allowed the digits on one of her hands to move towards the arms wrapped around her, lightly resting them over the child's hands that were currently clamped together over her abdomen. She could feel Steven's loving embrace tighten in response, assuring her he wouldn't willingly leave her side anytime soon.

"How could I possibly accuse you of trying to abandon me?" Peridot let out another sob. "I-I don't deserve the affections of a being as compassionate as you, Steven…"

Steven clenched his eyes shut, more tears flowing down his face. Her voice sounded so strained and helpless. "I told you before, Peri. There's good in you. I just wish you could see it, like I can."

She definitely couldn't see any goodness in her but nonetheless, she appreciated Steven's efforts.

"It's just… you're the closest thing to a friend I have. I'm don't want to lose you…" The technician admitted out loud, sniffling. "Especially now that I don't have anywhere else to go or anyone else to turn to. I don't want to be all alone on this planet… Not again."

Steven remained silent for a moment, taking in the bleakness and hopelessness of Peridot's situation before he suddenly heard a familiar ringtone emanating from his pocket. He smiled up at the Gem, who was now glancing back in slight curiosity.

"Peridot, there's someone I think I'd like you to meet."

* * *

 _A/N: A little bit more angst for those of us who are total suckers for emotionally breaking our favorite characters. Thanks again for reading everyone!_


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: For some reason, this chapter was a bit of a challenge for me to decide how to write. But I finally got it finished! And it's the longest chapter I've done so far, so hopefully that at least partially makes up for the long wait._

 _Thanks to so many of you for the wonderful reviews as well. I also reached over 100 favorites and follows on this story, which is a huge milestone. I can't thank you all enough for helping me reach it! So my wonderful readers, enjoy!_

* * *

"Yeah, she's really cool. I think you'll like her a lot."

Peridot could just overhear Steven from her spot on the Kindergarten control room floor, though for the moment she paid little attention to the conversation currently taking place. The young technician had her arms wrapped around her legs, her face buried in her knees. Her eyes were clenched shut as she busied herself with recuperating from her distraught state of mind.

The green Gem exhaled slowly, trying to even out her breathing so as not to worry Steven further. She'd already caused the poor child more than enough anxiety.

Of course, at least he had those Crystal Clods to turn to if he was ever truly in a state of acute distress. Peridot certainly didn't have that kind luxury, here on Earth or back on Homeworld… Suffering in silence was something she had become rather accustomed to during her time being stranded on this planet.

Peridot could feel herself shaking slightly, the urge to cry once again beginning to overwhelm her.

No. She wasn't completely alone. Here she at least had Steven.

 _'_ _But he can't stay with me forever. He cares for my wellbeing but his place is still with those…those clods._

Peridot felt her face becoming damp. What was she going to do? She certainly wasn't about to waltz right up to the Crystal Gems and turn herself over to them anytime soon. She wanted nothing to do with them!

The Gem buried her face deeper into her knees, curling further into herself as the familiar feeling of hopelessness began to envelop her. It wasn't like she could return home at this rate anyway. Homeworld certainly didn't have any qualms with leaving her to become collateral in the face of the Cluster's emergence…

' _No! They can't just leave me behind like this! I'm a contributing member of Gem society! They can't just abandon me! They can't!'_

"Alright, Connie. I'll see you soon."

Peridot could hear Steven returning his communication device to its proper place, glancing out of the corner of her eye to see the child making his way over to her. The green Gem was sure her distress was apparent through her body language as Steven took a seat beside her. He held her visor in his hands, offering it to her after she'd discarded it earlier. She gently took it from him, feeling the young boy lean up against her form.

Peridot sat up somewhat from her curled position and removed one of her arms from around her legs, instead wrapping it around the child's form. She held him close to her for what felt like the umpteenth time that day, once again grateful for the wonderful sense of comfort his close proximity provided her with.

"Are you going to be okay, Peri?"

Peridot's gaze faced directly ahead of them, her eyes slightly glazed over. She felt a few more tears make their way down her cheeks, landing on the visor now situated in her lap. "Yes, I-I believe so." She inwardly cringed at how feeble and shaky her voice still sounded. She shook her head, deciding to change the topic in order to keep herself from breaking down again. "So, who is this…f-friend of yours?"

Steven offered her a sad smile, appreciative that she seemed willing enough to converse with him despite the emotional pain she was clearly still experiencing. "Her name's Connie. We've known each other for a couple years now." The child leaned his head against his companion's shoulder slightly. "She's really smart. I think you two will get along great."

Peridot's grip tightened slightly in response to feeling the boy rest his head on her. The green Gem wasn't so sure about that. She assumed this "Connie" was one of the Earth's native humans, a species she had admittedly only read about in Homeworld's archives. A relatively intelligent species who's fleeting lifespans and organic physiology prevented them from advancing much further beyond their current state. Like many organic species, they were highly susceptible to things like environmental dangers, illness, and aging. It also didn't help that they were an overall physically unimpressive race.

Peridot cringed. How these creatures had survived and thrived as much as they had was beyond her. Especially given that the planet didn't seem particularly well-suited for terrestrial life, being mostly covered in a saline body of water. The green Gem's encounter with Steven had been the first time she'd ever even laid eyes on a human. Yet Steven's unusual composition almost seemed to suggest that he was something much more. He appeared to possess the abilities of a Gem and yet somehow retained the physiology of a human.

How was such a thing even possible…?

Peridot momentarily flashed back to the time she'd used the Gem Destabilizer on the boy. He'd barely even flinched. Perhaps humans and other organic lifeforms were… immune to the effects of a weapon that was all too effective on her own race.

How disconcerting…

She glanced down at Steven, seeing that he was patiently waiting for her to say something in regards to his human friend. "Hmm, we shall see."

Steven smiled up at her. "You will. Trust me." He sat up from his leaning position, getting to his feet as he checked the time on his phone. "I'm going to head home real quick and get Connie. If the Gems are there, I'll let them know about Malachite."

Peridot shook her head at the boy, her digits locking onto his arm to keep him from getting too far. "Steven, I can assure that such a large, unstable fusion is unlikely to remain in such a secluded place for any extended period of time."

The child glanced down in front of him, a disappointed expression crossing his features. "Oh, yeah I guess that's true..." His eyes lit up as he turned back to the green Gem. "I'll just go check."

The technician's eyes narrowed, though whether it was out of dread or anger Steven couldn't quite tell. Knowing Peridot? Probably both.

"Are you completely cracked!? Neither of us should go anywhere near that island!"

"But you just said you were sure Malachite wouldn't be there anymore."

I'm…ninety-seven percent sure." The green Gem muttered under her breath, her narrowed eyes glancing to the side.

"Three percent isn't too bad." Steven argued. "Besides, I originally told Pearl the whole reason I was there was because I wanted to train Lion a bit more. I can see if Malachite's there real quick. If she's not, we'll just have to wait until she turns up somewhere else."

Peridot's expression remained unchanged. "And if the fusion is there?"

"You said Lapis was in control last, right?" The green Gem nodded, albeit hesitantly. "She wouldn't hurt me." Steven attempted to reassure her.

The Gem across from him looked at him incredulously. _'Oh, I seriously doubt that while she's in this state.'_

"You do realize Jasper could take over at any time, correct? What are you planning to do in _that_ situation?" The green Gem questioned. She knew full well that the Quartz soldier wouldn't be merciful towards the boy, especially if her previous reaction to him was anything to go by.

"Hope that doesn't happen?" Steven answered with a nervous smile, shrugging his shoulders slightly as he let out a couple nervous laughs.

Peridot was certain her eyes would simply fall out of their sockets if she kept rolling them as frequently as she did at this child's naïveté. He took _far_ too many risks, never taking into account the unknown variables that could very well get him killed. The green Gem almost envied the boy's bravery.

Peridot raised her digits to her face, resting them on her forehead in a gesture of complete exasperation. "Oh, Steven." She sighed, unable to comprehend his recklessness.

Were all humans, half-Gem or otherwise, so eager to throw themselves into peril?

The technician thought things over for a few moments as Steven observed her, likely becoming concerned at her reaction. She lowered her hand back into her lap. "I am not about to let you go there alone if there's even a small chance that fusion is there." She finally answered.

 _'_ _Wait, what!?'_

Steven looked equally as surprised by her reply. "Really?"

Peridot remained silent for a few moments, trying to regain some sense of…well _sense_. She wasn't sure where that had come from. She would be the first to admit to herself that she wasn't the most fearless Gem in existence. She steeled herself further while the deeper recesses of her mind were now outright screaming about just how foolish she was being. "Yes."

Oh my stars, what was she thinking? Was her brief friendship with Steven really worth putting her own life on the line for?

The more cynical side of her supposed it didn't matter. If this Malachite didn't get her, the Cluster certainly would.

Steven hadn't expected the Gem to want to accompany him but he didn't object. "Well, alright let's go." The child wandered over to the elevator, stepping onto it before turning. Peridot hesitantly stood from her crouched position, returning her visor to its proper place before following after him.

 _'_ _You clod. You're going to get yourself shattered pulling stunts like this.'_

* * *

The warp stream dissipated around them, Steven being the first to step off the warp pad. Peridot was less eager to do so, still trying to figure out why in the name of the stars she had even decided to follow through with this. She anxiously glanced around at the surrounding foliage that could be obscuring the large fusion, noticing that much of it had been uprooted.

 _'_ _No doubt thanks to that horror.'_ The green Gem mused to herself. The native vegetation had likely been damaged while she was in a panic running away from the thing. She supposed it was fortunate the warp pad had been left intact.

Steven also took notice of the damage, hesitantly making his way up to the elevated area of the island he and Peridot had been on earlier. The technician hurried after him, not daring to allow herself to remain too far behind him.

"Steven, let's just leave. Now. The fusion isn't here anymore…." The technician's words faltered as she came to a stop beside her half-Gem companion. No, the fusion wasn't here but they'd certainly done a number on the place.

The once pristine paradise now looked as if a few hundred Homeworld soldiers had marched through it, leaving the area in shambles. The very geode they had taken shelter in from the storm earlier had a massive crack scarring its once completely smooth exterior. The surrounding foliage appeared to have suffered the same fate as those back near the warp pad. The beach just below them, once practically undisturbed, now looked akin to a war zone with debris scattered all across its sandy surface.

Steven broke the silence. "She…they really are losing themselves."

Peridot glanced down to the child, noting his distress. She herself couldn't say she was that surprised. The Lazuli Gem and Jasper clearly despised each other. It was dangerous for both of their states of being. The green Gem scoffed. _'The fools. They should have known better.'_

Still, it was obvious Steven was distraught over the fate of the Lazuli Gem. "Steven, there's nothing we can do for them at the moment. You'll have to simply remain confident that they won't resurface again for a while." It wasn't Peridot's best attempt at reassurance, but that was something she'd never been very good at. She operated on logic, not emotion.

Steven hated feeling so helpless in such a situation but he knew there was truth to the green Gem's words. There just wasn't anything he'd be able to do on his own for the time being. And there was no point in standing around and doing nothing "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm going to go get Connie. We'll meet you back at the Kindergarten." The child began making his way back to the warp pad.

Peridot raised a brow at that, following after him. "They're allowing her to come to the Kindergarten?" The Kindergarten was no place for a simple human.

"I'm just going to tell them we're training a bit more somewhere else." The child informed her while running back down their previous path.

That confused the technician even more. "Training? What training could a human possibly undertake?"

"Sword fighting!" She heard Steven yell back from his position near the warp pad. Thankfully he was polite enough to wait for her to catch up. "Here. You can head back first."

Peridot's eyes widened in shock as she stepped up on the warp. It took her mind a few extra seconds to register what she'd just heard. "Sword fighting? I…what?"

"Don't worry. She knows you're on our side!" The child laughed playfully.

The technician was still utterly confused but remained silent as she warped back to the Kindergarten. Steven figured she'd recover from her stupor later on.

He stood up on the warp, turning once more to gaze out over the ocean, calm and still as if it wasn't harboring the island's most recent occupant. _'I'll find a way to help you, Lapis. I promise.'_

* * *

Steven found himself back inside the beach house, glancing to the side to see Pearl and Connie having a casual conversation over on the couch. He gave a small smile. Pearl was always more than happy to keep his human friend company, holding a huge amount of respect for the young girl's ambition and willingness to battle alongside him.

He also took notice of Amethyst in the kitchen, happily raiding the fridge for any late afternoon goodies. The boy was glad to see that her appearance hadn't changed any since she'd poofed.

Lion lay not too far from the purple Gem, making Steven hope that Pearl wouldn't be suspicious of the fact that he had told her he'd be training the feline and yet the animal was already here…

Garnet had at last emerged from the Temple and was currently leaning up against the entryway to the area that separated the main house from the Temple and warp pad. It was her who was the first to notice his arrival.

"Hello, Steven." She regarded him with a smile. "I take it you were fine on your own while we were gone."

He returned her smile. "Yep!" He replied happily, stepping off the warp pad to greet her properly. "Well, the power went out not long after you guys left but it came back on pretty quickly. I went over to Dad's shed to see if I could find a cooler to keep the stuff in the fridge cool."

The fusion glanced over to the purple Gem currently raiding the kitchen. "I'm sure Amethyst is certainly appreciative of your efforts." Her expression suddenly turned more serious. "Did you happen to see any signs of Peridot or Malachite while we were away?"

Steven could feel himself beginning to sweat nervously. He'd been hoping she wouldn't ask anything about that. And what about her future vision? What if she already knew about what he was hiding from them…?

"Uh, nope. I-I didn't see anything at all." He cringed at his slight stutter, hopeful that Garnet wouldn't point it out to him.

Garnet's expression didn't waver, or at least he didn't think it did. It was sometimes hard to tell with those glasses of hers. "Hmm, that's too bad. We didn't have much luck on our end. And I'm sure Pearl has already informed you of why we had to cut our search short." She glanced over to Amethyst once more, the purple Gem smiling cheekily at her as she made her way over to them with an entire loaf of bread in her hands.

"Aw, come on G. I was just keeping you guys on your toes. Had to spice thing up a little, y'know?"

Garnet shook her head at the other. "Be more careful in the future Amethyst. The last thing we need is for you to crack your gem again. You're fortunate we didn't have to stop by Rose's fountain."

Amethyst waved the fusion's words off. "Yeah, yeah I hear you. Be more careful, yadda, yadda, yadda." She turned towards Steven, who immediately enveloped her in a hug after her and Garnet finished their little discussion. "What's up, little man? Miss me? I like the nice setup you gave me."

Steven knew she was referring to the basket, his standard measure of care when one of the Gems was in the process of regenerating. "Yeah, no problem. What happened back at the Strawberry Battlefield?"

"She was clumsy and fell off one of the floating islands." Garnet immediately answered.

"Uh, no." Amethyst interjected. "I told Pearl I could get up to the highest one without using my whip so that we could have a better view."

Steven titled his head at her. "So you missed one of the jumps up to it?"

"Nah, I made it to the top easily. Then I fell off because the G-Squad here distracted me when she yelled at me to get down."

"I told you to be careful. I suppose that's too much to ask of you though isn't it?" The fusion smirked.

Amethyst shrugged, that cheeky smile still on her face. "Eh. So Steven, where are you and Connie going to?"

"Oh, we're going to go train some more on Mask Island." Steven quickly answered.

"Aw man, really?" Amethyst changed her stance slightly, lifting one of her hands to rest it on her hip while her other hand still held the bread loaf. "You guys need to get out and have some fun. Why don't you go to that Funland place or whatever it's called?"

"Uh, I think I'm still banned from there after the Teacups incident, remember?"

Amethyst immediately let out a chuckle at that. "Oh, yeah. Man, you wrecked that place." She let out a couple more laughs in between. "Well, do whatever then. When you want to do something cool, you know where to find me." She began walking back over to the Temple door, downing the entire loaf of bread, plastic and all, in one gulp. Typical Amethyst.

Steven suddenly became aware of Garnet speaking to him. "Glad to hear you guys are so eager to train. You'll be all the more prepared to take down Peridot when we finally find her."

"Uh yeah, no issues there." He let out a nervous chuckle before turning to look over at Connie and Pearl, both of them waving him over.

"Hello, Steven." Pearl greeted him first. "I was just discussing some advanced sword techniques with Connie here. Oh, I'm just so overjoyed to see you two so eager to train." Her hands were loosely balled up into fists in front of her, the happy tone she spoke with uplifting Steven's slightly dampened spirits after being at the island in the wake of Malachite's emergence. Connie spoke up as well.

"We just wanted to go over a few techniques, like the Springboard."

Steven smiled at the girl, glad she was helping make things seem more convincing. He was also quite fond of the little nicknames she came up with for their different techniques, with the Springboard being a move that involved him boosting her into the air with his shield.

"Of course, well you two have fun." Pearl encouraged. "Remember, Connie. Keep your stance wide and your body lowered. Steven, you make sure to do the same. Defend each other well!"

Both children glanced at each other, offering the pale Gem a playful salute. "Yes, ma'am!" They shouted, both in perfect sync. Steven made his way over to Lion, a familiar glow enveloping the feline's head as he effortlessly pulled a familiar pink sword from it. He handed the weapon over to Connie, who gladly accepted it, swinging it onto her back without even breaking a sweat. Steven took the lead as they made their way over to the warp. The two children waved to Pearl and Garnet as they both disappeared into the warp stream.

* * *

"Log date: 7 3 2. This is the first log I've made since the Steven found me at the organic-made structure during the previous rotation of this planet."

Peridot paused for a moment. The whole point of these logs was to have them as records to report to Homeworld. Should she even be doing them anymore if it was becoming more and more apparent that her own planet didn't have any further use for her?

The green Gem shook her head, doing her best to shake off the encroaching pangs of sorrow. Perhaps not, but sometimes it helped to just have somewhere to record her thoughts. It was an excellent coping mechanism for her.

"This creature has shown nothing but kindness to me in the brief time we have interacted personally. It is…baffling. On Homeworld, an enemy would be shattered on sight by the Authority. Yet, here on this mud ball of a planet, there appears to be no such threat."

The technician glanced up to the gray skies above, the Kindergarten's atmosphere suddenly seeming tense though she chose to ignore it for the time being. She began walking through the canyon, anxiously glancing around at the numerous holes that dotted the barren valley.

"Steven has introduced me to a variety of different human activities, such as the ingestion of various fluids and processed delicacies common here on Earth. It goes against my very nature as a Gem to admit that I'm rather… fond of the sweeter edibles. Sleep is another act he has shared with me. It is an activity normally only performed by higher ranking Gems as a way to pass time, yet here even a technician such as myself is free to partake in such an act of relaxation."

The Gem stopped her walking abruptly, certain she'd heard scraping of some kind around the area near one of the Kindergarten's many indentations. Sound traveled well in such an enclosed location, and so it was likely only her mind playing cruel tricks on her.

"The degree of freedom offered on this planet is astounding. In some ways, it is almost frightening. Humans appear to be able to live as they please, making their own decisions rather than awaiting orders from a single leader. It is rather remarkable that the planet hasn't fallen into disorder with such a shocking lack of authority."

The Gem glanced behind her, abruptly becoming paranoid of her surroundings as the feeling of being watched enveloped her. She kept speaking, hoping the sensation would eventually dissipate.

"Steven now wants to introduce me to one of these humans. A being by the name of "Connie" that he has allegedly known for two Earth revolutions. I am rather curious to see what this creature is like, though I am hesitant to believe Steven's claim that she is skilled in the act of sword fighting. Past Gems could take centuries to master such an art. The idea of a human even being capable of lifting such a weapon is absolutely ludi-"

 _SCREECH_

Peridot suddenly let out an abrupt shriek at the earsplitting sound. The green Gem felt herself instinctively backing up against the nearest wall, immediately dispersing her screen in order to form her blaster.

 _'_ _What could be trying to kill me NOW!?'_

This was almost seeming routine at this point, as if the planet itself wished for her to be nothing but shards littering the cold ground.

 _SCREEEECH_

Peridot felt herself shaking as the noise reverberated throughout the canyon, sounding closer than the previous one had. It also sounded like it had been made by more than one creature.

 _'_ _Oh no…_

 _SCREEEEEECH_

The technician charged up her blaster, frantically aiming it in random directions as the canyon's natural topography made it difficult to pinpoint the sound's orientation. Her breathing became deeper and more panicked as her eyes darted all around her. The sounds were definitely getting closer…

A sudden movement to her right was enough to spur the green Gem into the offensive as she abruptly turned and fired a shot at whatever was lurking just on the edges of her peripheral vision.

 _SCREE-_

The thing let out one final cry as it dissipated into a cloud of violet smoke, the familiar sound of a gemstone clanking to the ground immediately following. Peridot recognized the stone's unusual shape as a clear sign of an artificial fusion experiment. More of them must have emerged since her last time here, when the Crystal Gems had nearly chased her down.

 _SCREEEEEECH_

Peridot abruptly turned her attention away from the cluster Gem on the floor. _'Oh my stars…'_

More artificial fusions, crawling out of various indentations left by Quartz Gems that had emerged millennia earlier, almost as if they were parasites emerging from a long dead host. All of them slowly inched their way toward her. Peridot charged up another shot, trembling as her panicked mind couldn't decide which one to aim for first.

"S-Stay back!" Her voice trembled as much as her light projection. She attempted to take a step back, only to be reminded that she was already right up against one of the canyon walls. If her mind hadn't been so overcome with fear, she likely would have remembered her wall climbing ability, or even her flight capabilities. Instead, all she could find herself capable of was shouting at the things, her blaster unable to lock in on just one of them.

"I-I'm warning you!" Her voice, though still wavering from fear, had more than enough emotion sounding through it to make her anger at being cornered apparent. Not one of them halted their advances. She gathered enough of her bearings to fire another blast at one of them, a beige one resembling a large hand.

 _SCREE-_

This one's cry was also cut off as its physical form was destroyed on impact, its gemstone clattering to the ground. The noises the things were making were horrid; an awful blend of screeching and wheezing. One of the abominations managed to get close enough to place its multiple arms on her, its intimidating teeth parting to reveal a single eye underneath, looking right at her.

Peridot could only bring herself to clamp her eyes shut and scream at the thing, her teeth bared in a futile display of aggression.

"Let go of me!" She could hear the panic in her voice, interlaced with both anger and resentment. She was certain this thing was about to crush her to dust in its grasp.

Three others, all made up of disembodied limbs, did the same; surrounding her and gripping at various parts of her physical form.

"Peridot!"

 _'_ _Steven!?_ '

Her eyes shot open, only barely managing to look around the cluster Gems in front of her to see Steven, and who she assumed to be Connie, running in her direction.

"Hold on, Peridot!" Steven waved his arm in front of him, a familiar pink shield materializing in his grasp. The young girl kept pace with him, an equally familiar sword slung over her back. Much to Peridot's total astonishment, the girl effortlessly unsheathed the sword from its scabbard, brandishing the weapon with as much expertise as any pre-modern Homeworld soldier.

The two rushed right into the throng of cluster Gems, Connie tearing through half a dozen of the things in a matter of seconds. Steven was right behind her, using his shield to shelter her from any oncoming blows. The two kept perfect pace with each other, working almost entirely in sync.

Their teamwork was astounding.

Connie immediately rushed toward the Gems holding Peridot in their grasp, impaling one directly below its gemstone. Another was dealt with from a simple horizontal slash while yet another was cut clean in half. Eventually, the only one left standing was the one directly in front of the green Gem. Steven managed to distract the creature by flinging his shield at it, causing it to loosen its grip on Peridot before Connie swooped in to deliver the final blow. The thing retreated to its gemstone immediately, the only other remnants being a puff of purple smoke.

Peridot was completely silent, her eyes glazed over as her form trembled from shock. She felt herself slink down to the ground, trying to regain her composure. Steven busied himself with collecting and bubbling each of the cluster Gems, sending them off to the Temple. The green Gem flinched when she perceived movement in front of her, glancing up abruptly to see the young girl standing above her, the sword casually resting on her shoulder as she offered her hand to her.

"Hey there, my name's Connie. Nice to finally meet you, Peridot."

* * *

 _A/N: There we go! Connie is finally getting in on the action. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but it seemed like a good spot to stop and I didn't want the chapter to drag. Look forward to some Connie and Peridot interactions in the next couple chapters. Thanks again everyone!_

 _Edit (12/3/2015): I went ahead and edited this chapter a little to make it more clear as to why Steven elected not to let the Gems know about Malachite for the time being. A big thanks to the girl who envies books for bringing this to my attention. It was quite an oversight on my part but hopefully it's a bit more clear now._


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Finals week is here, but that isn't going to stop me from getting this chapter up! I should be studying but nah, let's write some fanfiction instead._

 _Sorry for leaving you guys on a cliffhanger right as Connie was making an appearance. I hope you enjoy the dynamic I went with for these two!_

* * *

Peridot managed to snap out of her stupor, her gaze now fixed on the small human in front of her, fear with just a small hint of curiosity in her green eyes.

To say the Gem was in a mild state of shock was an understatement. Not only had her log been interrupted by those fusion experiments, but one of the individuals who came to her rescue just so happened to be a sword-toting human child.

Just as Steven had previously stated.

 _'_ _I-I don't believe this…_

The technician eyed the hand now hovering in front of her with suspicion, slightly raising one of her metallic arms up as an extra, instinctive precaution. She couldn't help being rather wary of this unfamiliar being and her intimidating blade.

 _'_ _That was the one inside the feline's mane…How-?_

The technician momentarily glanced over in Steven's direction, in the hopes that he would come to provide some input for her. Much to her dismay, the other child seemed to be more focused on gathering up the gemstones left behind by the fusion experiments. She returned her gaze to the young girl, still eyeing her with slight trepidation.

Connie's welcoming smile gradually faded as she noticed the Gem's defensive nature. Peridot's behavior certainly didn't seem to match what Steven had told her back when he and the Gems had first happened across her. She glanced down to the makeshift foot Steven had thrown together for her, comprised of a common paint can and some duct tape.

She hardly looked the part of an imposing alien invader.

 _'_ _Still, it must be pretty scary, being all alone on a foreign planet. Especially when your own home doesn't even want you anymore.'_

When Steven had first told her over the phone about the recent time he'd spent with the green Gem, Connie had initially been…skeptical to say the least. She knew her friend would always reach out to those who needed aid when no one else could provide it.

But, at the same time, this _was_ one of the Gems who had invaded Earth not too long ago. Connie could still recall the terror that had been instilled into her mind when she first heard Steven's message on her answering machine. Those terrifying moments where she'd been forced to reflect over the possibility that she had lost her best friend.

It was a horrid feeling; one that she never wanted to experience again, at any point in the future.

Yet, Steven had enthusiastically explained to her that he was _helping_ this Gem, the one who had stirred up such turmoil in the first place. Not only had he helped her, but he had _befriended_ her as well. The girl hadn't been able to wrap her head around her friend's actions.

However, Connie did have to admit that after Steven had explained Peridot's situation to her, she was beginning to see why he had decided to take this Gem under his wing. And if she wanted to get on her good side, she may as well try Steven's typical approach to this sort of situation.

"Hey, everything's fine. I promise I'm not going to hurt you in any way." She reasoned with the other, returning the pink blade to its scabbard before taking a seat on the canyon ground across from the other.

At the same time, she tried to ignore just how…unsettling this place was. How it had earned the innocent-sounding name of "Kindergarten" was beyond her.

Thankfully, Peridot seemed to relax a bit once she saw her sitting on the ground with her. The young girl was certain her nonthreatening action would convince the other that she would not bring her any harm.

The young Gem felt a sense of relief wash over her at the human's behavior. No, this Connie certainly didn't seem to have any intent on hurting her.

 _'_ _Well, she is Steven's companion, so I suppose this shouldn't be a surprise.'_

Though more at ease, Peridot's gaze automatically returned to the pommel of the large blade the child had sheathed. How could such a small human manage to wield a massive sword so proficiently? She remained silent for a few moments before deciding to attempt communication with the other.

"Hmm. Connie, was it?"

The human in question nodded, a small smile on her face. She was honestly surprised the other was willing to speak to her. Anytime a book she read had aliens in it, they were often completely dismissive of humans as a species. Yet, here she was speaking with a real one. Sure, the Crystal Gems were technically aliens too but they had been on the planet for many millennia. This Gem? Not so much.

"That sword…How are you able to wield it like that?"

The young girl glanced over her shoulder to the sheathed weapon on her back. "Oh, well I've been training in sword fighting for a while now so I've learned to use it pretty well."

Peridot shook her head slightly. "No, I mean…how can one of your stature even lift such a blade? You…clearly weren't _meant_ to partake in this sort of activity, especially with a sword of that size."

Connie briefly glanced over to Steven, who was making his way over to them, before returning her attention to the Gem in front of her. "What do you mean by that?" She inquired with genuine curiosity.

The young girl's eyes widened slightly as the Gem across from her formed a screen of some sort, improvising the use of her own digits for the edges. "Whoa. How did she-" She quietly trailed off, turning to Steven as he took a seat beside her, a small grin on his face.

"Pretty cool, huh?"

Peridot paid the children's conversation little attention, switching her screen's display from her log to the Homeworld archives that were installed into her database. Her remaining finger flipped through a few images and diagrams before settling on a small, humanoid shape.

Steven watched Peridot maneuver through the numerous menus while Connie still retained a wide-eyed look on her face. The young half-Gem made a mental note to have Peridot show his friend some of her other technology at some point in the future.

The technician pulled the image of what Steven assumed was meant to be a young human over to the side of the screen before once again flipping through more figures, these ones seeming to resemble various Gems. She eventually stopped on one, their large stature reminding Steven all too much of a certain orange and red banded Gem. Peridot pulled this figure over beside the other one, seemingly for the sake of visual comparison.

"That sword was clearly brandished by a Quartz or other large Gem at some point, presumably Rose Quartz if my logic is correct." She eyed the weapon's pink coloration. "This…" Peridot allowed both the children to view the large, yellow Gem in the picture. "…is a Citrine, an example of a typical Quartz soldier that you would commonly see on the Gem Homeworld."

Steven had expected as much, considering he'd had quite an up close and personal interaction with a full-sized Quartz in the recent past. Connie examined the Gem on screen thoroughly, having never seen one with this specific build. They weren't nearly as large as the one the Crystal Gems had fused into when her parents had met with them for dinner, but their figure was still imposing nonetheless.

Peridot then turned their attention to the other image, a mostly androgynous looking human child. "This is a human that I'm presuming is in the same life stage as you two, considering their size and features are roughly the same." Both children glanced over to each other for a brief moment before turning their attention back to the image in front of them, wondering what the Gem was getting at.

Peridot glanced between Connie and her screen a couple times, her eyes narrowing a bit as she did so. "Do you see why I happen to be confused as to how you are so easily able to cut down about a dozen fusion experiments in a matter of seconds?!" The technician's previously calm and professional tone gave way to one Steven was becoming more accustomed to hearing from her; higher-pitched and agitated. It certainly didn't make her sound very threatening.

Steven and Connie shared a glance once again, amused smiles on their faces. Connie found herself beginning to wonder why Steven and the Gems had worried so much about this Gem. She seemed…rather harmless. Smart, definitely, but not particularly dangerous in her current state.

Steven decided to speak up. "Well, just because Connie isn't very big doesn't mean she can't be a good sword fighter."

Peridot raised a brow at that. "Her stature suggests otherwise, Steven. This sort of activity should be far beyond her abilities."

"I think I'm pretty good at it, so…" Connie piped up this time, her eyes momentarily glancing over to the side in an attempt to help ease the awkwardness in the air. "I mean, just because someone might not have the ideal build or appearance doesn't mean they can't do something they enjoy."

That statement only seemed to confuse the Gem more. "Enjoy?" She let out a laugh. "Fighting is a _job_. It is not something you are meant to derive enjoyment from. It is what the Diamond Authority demands of _all_ its soldiers. It is not meant to just be some hobby that you can take part in on and off whenever you want."

Steven and Connie turned to each other, neither entirely sure how to reply to the technician's words. Homeworld certainly sounded…different. The half-Gem was the first to say something. "Lots of people take up different fighting styles. Most of them are even younger than Connie and me."

Peridot's expression did not falter. Quartz Gems she could understand learning to fight from the time they emerged. It was practically instinct for them to attack nearly anything that moved while they were out on the battlefield. But humans? They were supposed to be such feeble beings for their entire lifecycles…

And yet, this Connie had clearly proved that belief to be untrue.

 _'_ _What a peculiar race these creatures are. They seem quite…adaptable.'_

"Hmm, I am still rather curious as to how exactly you became so skilled, Connie. You mentioned that you have been training?" The girl in question nodded. "With who?"

"Oh, with Pearl, one of Steven's guardians."

 _'_ _Figures…'_

"Ah, so you learned from a Gem. _That_ would explain things." Peridot had one of her digits resting on her chin, further contemplating the girl's answer.

Peridot had certainly seen how skilled of a fighter the Pearl was…right as the other Gem's spear was headed for her projection's gemstone back on the warship.

She certainly wouldn't be forgetting _that_ particular move anytime soon.

Steven winced slightly at Peridot's unintentionally backhanded compliment. Connie took notice of it as well but decided not to bring it up. It was pretty safe to assume that the Gem didn't exactly have a solid grasp on human etiquette. "Well, it wasn't exactly like my parents would have been willing to teach me."

The green Gem dismissed her screen. "Hmm? Parents?"

"Yeah, my mom and dad." Connie answered. Gems had to have parental figures of some kind, surely.

"I have heard Steven use those terms but I am otherwise unfamiliar with them and their meaning, other than the fact that they are apparently progenitors to young humans. Gems, or at least Quartz Gems, are formed _here_." She motioned to the surrounding cliff faces.

The young girl glanced around the canyon walls, noting the seemingly infinite number of humanoid indentations marking their surface, Steven doing the same despite having seen the place numerous times in the past. It was such an uneasy atmosphere that blanketed the area, and yet Peridot didn't seem to have any issues with it. "Wait, so this is where Gems come from?" Connie questioned.

Peridot nodded. "Indeed. These injectors…" The green Gem motioned to one not far from their current location. "…hold the basic components required for a Gem to develop. They are implanted into the ground, absorbing the organic nutrients from their surroundings. The Gem incubates in the ground before finally emerging as a fully functional being. From then on, their fate lies within the hands of the Diamond Authority."

Connie observed the strange machine, noting how much it appeared to resemble a type of virus that she had once seen in one of her mom's medical books. "So, you're told what you're going to do for the rest of your life from the minute you're born…err, out of the ground?" Connie quickly corrected herself, turning back to the Gem with her brow raised.

"Of course. Each Gem type has a specific job they are meant to perform. Quartz Gems are warriors. Peridots, such as myself, are technicians. Every class of Gem is made to excel in one area of expertise."

"Sounds kind of…restrictive." The young girl replied. She couldn't imagine having her lifelong career assigned to her before she'd even been born.

Peridot seemed unfazed by the girl's reply, even slightly annoyed. "It keeps order on the Homeworld, which is certainly more than can be said for this planet." The Gem muttered to herself, eyes narrowed slightly. " _Too_ much free will is never a good thing."

Steven spoke up this time. "I don't really think that. If we weren't free to do what we wanted, Connie and me probably wouldn't be allowed to fight alongside each other."

"Considering the two of you are humans, or in Steven's case half-human, I don't necessarily think that would be a bad thing." Peridot replied, sounding a bit too condescending for Connie's liking. She wanted to get along with this Gem, mostly for Steven's sake, but she certainly didn't appreciate Peridot's tone. The young girl stood up and crossed her arms in defiance.

"You saw how well we worked together. It's more than what you were doing before we showed up." She muttered the last part to herself but it was pretty clear the other still heard her.

"Excuse me! If I am ever in a situation in which I need to defend myself, it is best done at long range. Not up close!" Peridot narrowed her eyes at the girl, also standing up from her previously sitting position so that she towered over the other.

Connie lowered her voice a bit, not wanting this little disagreement to escalate too much but also wanting to make it clear to the green Gem that she and Steven were much more capable than she maybe wanted to believe. "Don't you think you should have something for that? If you get cornered, you're not exactly in a good spot."

"I am capable of generating electricity and harming enemies if the need arises."

"Then why didn't you use it just a short time ago when that Gem mutant cornered you?"

"Because I panicked!"

"You shouldn't panic in that type of situation. It won't do you any good."

"Now you listen here you little-"

"Guys!" Steven jumped to his feet and interrupted, having seen where this conversation was going from a mile away. "Stop arguing, please!" He turned to his human friend. "Connie, remember the reason I wanted to introduce you two in the first place?"

The young girl thought silently for a moment, thinking it over before nodding and letting out a small sigh. "Yeah, I do. You wanted me to help you show her what Earth was like." She turned to the green Gem, her eyes softening as she suddenly found herself regretting the way she'd just acted towards her. "Because you can't go home anymore, is that right?"

Peridot's eyes widened momentarily before she quickly turned away from them both.

 _'_ _Oh great, so Steven must have told her.'_

Perhaps she should have listened in on the earlier phone conversation after all.

The green Gem took in a deep breath in order to steady her voice before speaking. "Yes." She took a seat on the ground. "Homeworld has decided that a single, stranded Peridot is not worthy of their time or their resources."

Peridot knew she shouldn't take the Homeworld's decision so personally. Her class was…expendable. She had known that all her life. Of course they wouldn't come back for her. The young technician hastily rubbed at her eyes, wiping away a couple tears that had formed.

Even so, it didn't make the reality of her situation hurt any less.

She heard footsteps moving towards her, not bothering to turn around because she already knew who it would be. She felt warmth spread through her, not surprised to see Steven seated beside her, his arms wrapped around her middle as he leaned against her left side. However, she _was_ surprised when she felt another pair of arms wrapping around her, resting gently over Steven's own. She glanced over to see Connie resting against her, seemingly mimicking Steven's actions.

"What are you-?"

"Steven told me about your current circumstances." She answered. The girl remained silent for a few moments before speaking again. "Was there anyone on Homeworld that meant a lot to you?"

Peridot scoffed at the question, failing to see why the young girl even bothered asking it. "Of course not. Peridots have little time for socializing. Homeworld discourages it anyway."

"So, you didn't have any friends or anyone to turn to if you needed someone to talk to?"

The Gem hesitated, thinking back to earlier when Steven had asked her if they were friends. She let out a shaky sigh. "No. I did not."

Peridot felt the girl lean up against her further, her arms tightening over Steven's. "I know just how you feel." She heard Connie state. The technician glanced over to her right once more. The boy on her left also looked over to his human companion. Peridot couldn't hold back her glare, not that the girl could see it since her gaze was directed downwards.

"How can you possibly know what it is like to be completely alone and isolated? You're not the one who has been abandoned here."

"No, but I remember what it was like to feel like I was all alone in the world." Connie stated. "My parents were pretty overbearing and wouldn't let me do a lot of the stuff other kids my age did. That and my dad's job always kept us moving around, so I never got to form very many lasting friendships. It was really lonely having to go through with that every day."

Peridot remained silent.

"Then I met Steven." She looked over to her friend. A small, sad smile was on his face. "After I met him, I finally knew what it was like to have a friend. One that would do anything to protect me. And that I would do the same for."

"What are you getting at?" The girl directed her gaze up to the green Gem.

"Peridot, I know you miss home and that you feel like you're on your own here. But I promise you're not alone. You have Steven. And you have me too. We can teach you all about Earth."

Steven also decided to speak, stars shining in his eyes at the idea. "Yeah! If you try to learn about our home, you might even like it enough to want to stay here."

Peridot felt a pang of guilt reverberate through her as she once again thought of the Cluster. It wouldn't matter if she ended up liking Earth or not. It was going to be destroyed anyway…

For the moment though, as she looked over both children staring up at her, hope shining in their eyes, she couldn't seem to let herself bring down their moods.

She'd already seen rain, which was an interesting enough experience. And it was unlikely to be the only odd phenomenon the planet had to offer…

"I…I suppose. It isn't like I have any other options anyway…"

Steven gave her a sad look, but managed a small smile for her. "I promise you'll learn to love it here. And Connie and I will be the ones to teach you all about it."

Peridot raised a brow. "And how will you be doing that exactly?"

Any somberness that the two children had displayed recently disappeared almost instantly, excitement taking its place. The two grinned at each other in a way that Peridot almost found unsettling. She narrowed her eyes, apprehension sounding in her voice.

"What are you two planning?"

* * *

Peridot sat inside the control room of the Kindergarten with Steven and Connie, curiously examining one of the strange items the two children had brought to her. They had mentioned something about going to the "library," whatever that was, before returning with two tall stacks of the objects she was currently examining.

She'd never seen anything like them. Humans apparently referred to them as books, and used them as a way to record information. Each one contained hundreds of pages, as she'd learned they were called, all situated inside of a solid binding so that they could be held together in an organized fashion. The pages appeared to be organic in nature, and had hundreds of different characters decorating them.

Connie had been especially excited about showing these "books" to her, stating that the purpose of these objects was to read from them and learn the information they contained.

"So, they're basically like records?" The green Gem had asked, watching Connie busily sort the objects into little organized piles. Steven happily answered her.

"Some of them. Depends on what type of book you're reading. Some are for information but there are others that you just read for fun."

Peridot glanced down at the cover of the book she was currently holding. It seemed to depict a young human girl glancing down at some sort of object in her hands, a glow enveloping her. A winged creature took up the space directly behind her. Connie finished her sorting, hauling a couple of the piles over to where Peridot had decided to make herself comfortable.

"That one you have is one of my favorites. It's from _The Spirit Morph Saga_."

The green Gem looked at her as if she had completely lost her mind. "The what?"

"It's a fictional book series, one that you just read for entertainment. It's really good though."

Peridot let out a little humming sound before placing the book back down, instead looking through some of the ones in the piles Connie had sorted for her. She was still rather surprised by how quickly the girl had forgiven her for how she'd talked down to her and even Steven earlier, but didn't say anything about it. She was far too distracted with the fact that she was actually going to learn some useful information about this planet.

Connie watched the Gem pull out a book that depicted some pleasing scenery of a partially frozen lake, some mountains outlining the skyline with evergreen trees dotting the water's perimeter. The title read _Physical Geology: The Science of Earth_. She couldn't help giggling to herself a bit.

 _'_ _Of course the Gem immediately goes for the geology textbook.'_

She continued to watch Peridot flip through a few pages, stopping occasionally on some of the diagrams or graphs depicted in the book. The technician eventually glanced up at her, a rather shy look on her face.

"This…certainly looks interesting, but I must confess that there is a small problem."

Steven came over next to her and Connie. "What is it, Peri?"

The Gem hesitated. "I…I cannot understand the language…"

Oh.

Peridot almost looked ashamed for having to admit such a thing to them. Connie was the first to speak up.

"Well, Steven said you're a pretty fast learner. We could probably teach you."

The technician looked up, her surprise clear. "Really? You would be willing to do that? Even after what I said to you two earlier?"

Steven shrugged a bit. "Forgive and forget." Connie nodded along with him.

"Yeah, it wouldn't be a problem. And we can show you some of the stuff that happens too. It doesn't all have to be learned about in just books."

"What do you think?" Steven asked.

Peridot glanced down to the book in her lap again. After a little while, she glanced up to the two small children in front of her. "Yes." She felt a smile cross her features. A real, genuine smile. "Yes, I would like that."

* * *

 _A/N: There we have it! Peridot's Earth education is finally on a roll, featuring Connie!_

 _Yeah, I went with this dynamic where Steven and Connie sort of take Peridot in and teach her everything they can. I'm personally not one for the cliche of Connie and Peridot fighting over Steven, so I went with this instead._

 _See you guys next chapter!_


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: A lot of heart went into this chapter. I listened to Tessa from the Transformers 4 soundtrack while writing this. Not a fan of the movie franchise but it's such a beautiful tune and it really helped to set the mood for the later parts this chapter. If you can, I'd recommend putting it on while reading. Enjoy everyone!_

 _I also really wanted to give another shoutout to Specimen 12 for always checking up on me and giving me a little extra encouragement. You're awesome dude._

* * *

Peridot was quite pleased with the progress she had been making in the last couple weeks. Connie and Steven were more than happy to teach her how to read their language. They aided her in the process of pointing out repeating patterns in the seemingly random jumbles of letters, pairing them up with their proper sounds.

Just as the children had expected, Peridot was an exceptionally fast learner. The young technician had rapidly familiarized herself with nearly all twenty-six letters of their alphabet, recognizing both capitalized and lower-case forms, as well as when it was appropriate to use them when constructing words and sentences. The only ones that seemed to ever throw her off a bit were some of the less common letters, like "x" or "z."

Not long after beginning her lessons, courtesy of Steven and Connie, Peridot finally found herself able to decipher the information laid out for her in the books the two children had previously obtained for her. Steven had left the bulk of this particular activity to Connie, knowing that it was more her area of expertise. He was needed for missions with the Gems and he knew this would give his two friends the opportunity to bond in his absence.

At Steven's suggestion, Peridot had taken up residence at the barn, the wooden structure where the child had first stumbled across her a couple weeks ago. Initially, the Gem had believed it to be a somewhat inadequate choice of residence, but now it wasn't seeming like such a bad place. It was isolated, quiet, and there were all manner of things in the barn that she could put to use if she so desired.

For the time being, with the sun shining down on them, Peridot and Connie sat outside the weatherworn structure. Lion had decided to stay with them, sprawled out not too far from Connie.

The two companions were currently looking through a geology textbook for what had to be the fourth time that week. Peridot had already taken down information about some of the planet's most recognizable geological landmarks in her logs, but there were also other topics that she found herself naturally drawn to, namely the formation and classification of gems.

Or at least, the formation and classification of gems native to the Earth. It was a topic that was both interesting and unnerving to the young Gem, some morbid curiosity always seeming to drive her back to it. There was just something unsettling about the way humans utilized these particular gems…

"So." Peridot cleared her throat. "Just checking one more time. You're absolutely certain these gems _aren't_ actually sentient beings imprisoned in ornamental items that humans wear as decorative status symbols." She stated, clearly having discussed this previously with the girl.

Connie looked up from the various diagrams detailing the chemical structures of different gems, turning her attention to the one in front of her. They were back to this again it seemed…

"No, Peridot." She breathed out, sounding somewhat exasperated. "They're just shiny, polished stones that people like to wear because they look nice. They don't have the capability to be aware of their surroundings like you do." The technician's perturbed expression didn't waver much.

"I see… I suppose I'll just take your word for it then." Connie held back a laugh. _'That's what you said the last three times.'_

Peridot glanced back down to the textbook, Connie noticing that she finally seemed to gather enough resolve to push onto the next part of the topic. Thank goodness. It seemed the girl's attempts at reassurance had gotten through to her at last.

The green Gem skimmed over the opposite page, some sort of chart that ranked gemstones by their hardness being depicted on it. A caption was listed underneath, stating that Earth gemstones ranking higher on the scale were generally more valuable. Unsurprisingly, diamonds appeared to be at the top.

"It says here that diamonds are the most highly-valued gems here on Earth." She looked up to the human girl again. "Is this correct?"

"Yeah, they're crazy expensive! A lot of people like giving them to their partners or certain family members for special occasions."

 _'_ _Not surprising.'_

"Hmm. It also says that they're "precious" stones? What exactly makes a gemstone qualify as precious?" Connie leaned over across the green Gem's lap, flipping over to the next page.

"Well, usually gems are considered precious if they're really rare. So, diamonds would fit into that category because they can only form under very specific conditions. I think the only other ones are rubies, sapphires, and emeralds." The young girl pointed to another diagram. "Every other type of gem is considered "semi-precious."

"Including peridots…" The Gem added, a tone of annoyance in her voice. Connie responded with a nod, causing the technician to let out a scoff. "Rude…"

"I don't make the rules." The human laughed. "Don't feel bad. I'm pretty sure it's just some silly marketing thing anyway."

"I would hope so. It seems rather silly and unbalanced to only consider four types of gems for this "precious" category." Peridot said in a mocking voice, emphasizing her point with air quotes.

"It's alright. That's just how it is on Earth." The girl readjusted her glasses a bit, Peridot finding it somewhat bizarre that they didn't appear to have lenses. "I'm sure your home planet has a different way of doing things?" She glanced up to the Gem, her expression seeming hopeful that Peridot would be willing to elaborate a bit for her.

The green Gem thought it over, briefly glancing upwards to some clouds passing by overhead. She supposed it wasn't surprising that the young human was interested in her home planet.

"No, not really. Homeworld does have a hierarchy, though it's not exactly reflective of this scale humans seem to use."

"Hmm. What is Homeworld's system like?" Connie gently moved the book from Peridot's lap to her own, flipping back to the previous page. "I know you said that each Gem has a specific job they're made for."

"Yes, that's correct. Each Gem is meant to excel in one specific area of expertise. Take Quartz Gems, for example. They are typically of a large build, towering over most other classes of Gem They're also tremendously strong. As one might expect, these traits make them excellent soldiers."

"I'd imagine they're some of the higher ranking Gems, or at least some of the more respected ones?" Connie inquired. Peridot nodded, glancing back down to the child.

"Indeed. Jaspers are the ones I am most accustomed to seeing but there are many other types. Agates, Amethysts, Aventurines, Carnelians, Chalcedonies, Citrines, Onyxes, the list goes on." The Gem answered, counting off the different varieties with her floating digits.

Connie listened intently, clearly invested in the conversation. It was certainly an interesting discussion, but she couldn't help also being curious about the Gem she was actually speaking to.

"I know this obviously doesn't have to do with Quartz Gems, but what about Peridots? Where do they fit into the system?" Connie inquired somewhat cautiously, knowing this might be a tender subject. The green Gem only seemed to shrug in response.

"Well, I'm still stranded here." She turned away, her arms folding over her chest. "I think that should give you enough of an idea." Connie sat quietly as the technician let out a sigh. "It's silly for me to feel as hurt as I do, I know that." The young girl looked like she wanted to interrupt but Peridot continued before she could. "But I guess you can't help it when you know your home thinks of you as being expendable."

"You don't…really agree with their views, do you?" Connie inquired in a quiet voice. The green Gem shrugged again, remaining silent for a few moments as she appeared to think it over.

"I suppose I don't really know what to think of myself at the moment." Her gaze turned heavenward again. "In the past, back before I was assigned to this mission, I actually felt like I was needed. That I was contributing to Gemkind in some way."

Peridot set her arms at her sides, using them to help her lie back into the grass so that she could gaze up at the sky. Her voice took on a somber tone. "I guess, in a way, part of me is just confused as to why Homeworld would be so willing to leave a hardworking, loyal Gem to her fate. It just seems…unfair that I am unable to do anything to help myself..."

Connie glanced over to her side, contemplating the other's words. "So, you don't feel like your voice matters much." She stated firmly. Peridot glanced at her out of the corner of her eye.

"That would be one way to put it." She let out a scoff. "Not that it ever really does…" Her gaze returned to the sky again, locking onto a specific area in the vast, empty space. It could not be seen at the moment, but once the sun set, Homeworld's galaxy would be in view. Just like it always was.

The sight of it was one of the few things that was keeping Peridot going at this point. It had helped her through countless dark nights on this planet, providing her with a temporary feeling of determination each time she laid eyes on it.

During one of those lonesome nights, she had made a promise to herself not to give up on her goal of reaching home again, and had come so close to breaking it a couple weeks ago when she'd had her realization about what Homeworld really thought of her and her class.

At the moment, she was wondering if she should finally do just that… Give up. And yet, before she could further contemplate the idea, Connie interrupted, a surprisingly cynical sounding scoff escaping her lips. One that Peridot would not have expected from the girl.

"I know how that feels…" Peridot felt her eyes widen slightly, sitting up from her previous position on the grass. "…When you feel like no one will listen to you or really cares about what you want." The Gem turned to look at the girl, her startled gaze momentarily narrowing.

"A few weeks before Steven found you, my mom confiscated Steven's mom's sword from me. She thought it was too dangerous for me to be using." She removed her glasses, or at least the empty frame that remained of them. "She hadn't known that Steven and Pearl had been training me in the art of sword fighting behind her back. Or that I had gone out of my way to make sure she never found out."

"You actually kept that a secret? From your _superior_?" Peridot sounded somewhat baffled at the idea of going up against an authority figure. On Homeworld, that could very well get a Gem shattered. Connie only nodded, not bothered by the technician's impersonal way of referring to her mother. She didn't exactly know any other to address her.

"I had to." She answered simply. "My parents barely ever let me do anything that _I_ wanted to do. It was hard enough convincing them to let me play tennis." She sat for a few quiet moments, pulling her knees up to her chest and waiting to see if Peridot wanted to add anything.

"How did you retrieve the sword if your progenitor was so opposed to you having access to it?" The Gem questioned, one eyebrow raised. Connie remained silent for a little while longer before continuing.

"Steven and I followed her to the hospital where she works, and we ended up getting cornered by those Gem mutants that had ambushed you back at that Kindergarten place. We managed to fight them off after I took the sword from my mom, and I finally had to tell her everything." Peridot's narrowed expression still remained, but she nodded as the child continued.

"I was really scared about what she would do or say when she found out I had lied to her for over a year. She had thought she'd known everything about me. All my favorite hobbies. My daily schedule. My whole life." She shut her eyes. "And here I was, telling my own mother that she basically knew nothing about me." Peridot's hardened gaze softened a bit.

"But, as I found out, it ended up being for the better." The technician tilted her head to the side, her confusion evident.

"You weren't… punished?" Connie shook her head.

"No, my mother was in such shock that I don't think she could have even come up with a suitable punishment at the time." She chuckled. "Instead, my mom was finally willing to listen to me. She saw what I was capable of and she promised she'd let me make my own decisions. She still hasn't broken that promise. Same with my dad." Peridot glanced off to the side, contemplating the girl's story.

"Where are you going with this exactly?" Connie replaced her useless eyewear.

"Well, I guess what I'm trying to get at is that even if you feel helpless right now, things will get better. But only if you take action." Peridot let out a scoff, turning away from the girl in frustration.

"Yeah, easier said than done." Thoughts of the Cluster flashed to the front of the technician's thoughts but she pushed them back as best she could. She glanced back over to the young human when she continued speaking.

"I never said it would be easy to get there. But you'll make it, I promise." Connie placed one of her hands on the Gem's metallic arm. "You've got Steven and me here to help you out." She smiled up at the technician and Peridot slowly found herself returning it with a small smile of her own.

"Your words are much appreciated, Connie." She refocused her gaze back on the sky. "I certainly wish I possessed some of your bravery." The Gem let out a small laugh. "I'm sure that wasn't an easy thing to do." The human child nodded at her words.

"It wasn't. But like I said, things won't usually get better until you're willing to take action. "Peridot turned her head to the girl again, her gaze holding a glint of admiration and respect.

"You're quite remarkable, Connie. Steven certainly made a wise decision in placing his trust in you." The girl's eyes widened slightly, clearly surprised by the Gem's sincere compliment.

"Well, I'm glad I placed my own trust in him." She glanced down to the ground, suddenly taking interest in a small beetle making its way through the grass. "He's a good person." Peridot nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, he is." She looked out across the distant ocean, the Crystal Temple visible in the distance. "He really is." Her voice seemed to drift as she thought over the last couple weeks with the two children. How willing they were to help and befriend her. She should have pushed them away and yet had found herself unable to do it.

Steven and Connie had managed to worm their way into her heart, and they had made it clear to her that they were intent on staying there.

Peridot wrapped her arms around her legs, resting the side of her face on her knees. She closed her eyes, feeling the tears starting to brim for the first time in a couple weeks. The Gem felt as if her emotions were in turmoil. She had never had anyone display such affection for her. Coupling it with the stress of the Cluster's emergence as well as her desire to return home, Peridot didn't really know what to feel.

The Gem suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder, lifting her head and reopening her eyes to see Connie right beside her, giving her a look of both concern and understanding.

"You miss your home, don't you?" Peridot clenched her eyes shut and nodded.

"C-Could you tell?" The Gem attempted to keep the mood light, giving a somewhat forced smile as her voice wavered with the effort. Connie, of course, didn't fall for it.

"Hey. It's alright to feel homesick." Peridot expression hardened as she rubbed at her eyes with one of her metallic arms in a fit of frustration.

"I know that! It's just… so illogical. Homeworld doesn't care about me, not in the slightest." She glanced up at the sky again, her expression suddenly softening. "And yet…" She let out a sob. "… I-I miss it." More tears escaped her eyes as she slammed a fist on the ground, her frustration clear.

"Why am I like this? I shouldn't have these feelings for a place that doesn't care about the fact that I'm going to be destroyed along with the rest of this planet!"

It took the Gem a few moments to comprehend the words that had just come out of her mouth, her tearful eyes suddenly widening at the realization. Connie was silent, a stunned expression on her face.

"W-What?" She shook her head. "What do you mean?" Peridot couldn't seem to get any words out, her expression one of shock. She was panting lightly from her outburst, her mind attempting to tell her to not panic. To get it together.

Part of her wanted nothing more than to hide. To not have to face the child and the fact that she had failed to inform the two of the very real fact that they would inevitably die if they remained on this planet. Her mind however, the part of her operating on logic, was telling her it wouldn't do her any good. That there was no point in trying to hide such a thing anymore.

Steven and Connie were her friends. She cared about them both.

She…she loved them. And she couldn't let her own fear be the indirect cause of their deaths.

The Gem lifted her head, a sudden look of determination on her tear-stained face.

No.

She couldn't run from this anymore.

Peridot breathed out, bracing herself despite her fear. "Connie…" She took in a shaky breath. "I-I'm… sorry." Her voice hitched. "I was never supposed to get stuck here. I was never supposed to befriend either you or Steven." The girl didn't say anything, allowing the Gem to continue.

"The truth is… I was only meant to be here to check on one of Homeworld's projects." She breathed in deeply. "Do you remember… those Gem fusion experiments you and Steven s-saved me from a couple weeks ago?" Connie only gave a firm nod, her expression unreadable to Peridot. "At the c-center of your planet, there is another of these artificial fusions… One composed of millions of gem shards." She turned to the girl. "

"When it emerges and takes on its physical form… the Earth will cease to exist, along with all life that inhabits it." She turned to the girl once more, her expression a pained one. "And that includes y-you and Steven."

Connie slowly raised her hands to cover her mouth, her shock clear as she gazed at the Gem in stunned silence before finally finding herself able to speak.

"W-Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell Steven…?" Peridot clenched her eyes shut, her teeth gnashing together."

"Because I was scared! I still _am_ scared!" The Gem brought her metallic limbs up in front of her. Her cylindrical digits clenched into fists. "I didn't want to have to remember the fact that just as I was getting a taste of acceptance, I was going to _lose_ it all!" Her voice quieted. "I-I didn't want to have to face the fact that I would lose you two because there's nothing I can do to save you. Not when I can't even save _myself_!"

Peridot and Connie remained silent for the next few moments, the only sounds being the small pants coming from the Gem as she attempted to calm herself. After a few more moments, Connie suddenly stood to her feet, turning away from the technician. Peridot lifted her head to speak up.

"If… if you hate me… for keeping this from you, I-I understand..." The young girl turned to face the Gem, her expression somber.

"I-I need to speak to Steven about this. It's… not that easy to hear that everything you love is in danger of being destroyed…" The green Gem nodded slowly, a sob escaping her.

With those words, the young girl made her way over to Lion. The feline stood to his feet and bowed, seemingly encouraging the girl onto his back. Connie gently stroked the feline's mane before carefully climbing up onto him. The two turned towards the Crystal Temple, their destination in sight. Peridot stood to her feet, turning away from them. She began to slowly walk away, finding herself incapable of facing the girl.

"And Peridot…" The Gem halted her steps but refused to turn around. "I don't hate you…"

And with that, they took off. Peridot finally turned to face them, watching them quickly fade into the distance. The Gem looked hopeful at the girl's words, despite the tears still falling from her eyes.

"I'm … I'm sorry, Connie." Peridot glanced over to the pile of books the two of them had previously been looking through.

"I'm so sorry…"

* * *

 _A/N: Yes, I am alive! I promise I didn't mean to leave you guys hanging for so long. I haven't in any way abandoned writing. I just fell out of a writing mood for quite a while. Thanks for sticking with this story. It means a lot!_


End file.
